Commission previews Story Mill
Wednesday December 13, 2006
Officials want answers from developers on traffic, density and wetlands
By CAMDEN EASTERLING Chronicle Staff Writer
The Story Mill Center redevelopment project looks exciting, but it’s not without potential problems, the Bozeman City Commission said Monday night.
Traffic, density, wetlands protection and land use are all issues that developers need to address, elected officials told Blue Sky Development representatives.“It seems to me that just about everything is an issue, (from what) I’ve heard,” Commissioner Steve Kirchhoff said.
The development covers about 90 acres off North Rouse Avenue/Bridger Drive, near the historic Story Mill. Bozeman-based Blue Sky intends to build about 1,100 residential units and 140,000 square feet of commercial space.
The commission gave Blue Sky feedback and suggestions on the project during an informal review.
Blue Sky plans to adhere to the Leadership and Education in Environmental Design, or LEED, certification guidelines for environmentally friendly projects, developers said.
“I’d love to approve a LEED subdivision,” Mayor Jeff Krauss said.
But the size and density of the project are somewhat daunting, he and other commissioners said.
“In a way, it’s exciting,” Krauss said. “In a way, it’s unnerving.”
Traffic was a primary concern for commissioners and a few northeast neighborhood residents who spoke at the meeting.
The project could create about 10,000 to 12,000 vehicle trips per day, a project representative said.
Much of that traffic would be funneled onto North Rouse Avenue.
Commissioners said they want Blue Sky to mitigate the impacts on that street.
“Your transportation is the mountain you must climb,” Krauss said.
The commission spent about an hour reviewing the project, which followed a long hearing on placing a Ten Commandments monument in a city park.
The commissioners were fairly exhausted by the time they reached the Story Mill review, Krauss said.
“I’d be glad to have them come back again.” Krauss said when asked if the project received a fair shot at commissioners’ attention. “But I don’t know what to say to them other than they’ve got to solve the transportation problem.”
The project has several rounds of reviews remaining before Blue Sky could break ground.
Camden Easterling is at ceasterling@dailychronicle.com
Commenting is closed for this article.