Planning How Bozeman Will Grow

You're driving in Bozeman downtown. A restaurant, I heard the food is good there, but I can't find a place to park. I will circle the block. Who would put a restaurant so close to an apartment complex? There is nowhere to park. Traffic and parking stinks in Bozeman.

Well, the man behind where things go in our city is Bozeman planning director Marty Matsen. Not enough parking, too many cars on the street, that new apartment building blocks my view - those are just some of the things Matsen worries about each day.

Today on my show, Dominick in the Morning, listeners got to ask the planning director why Bozeman is the way Bozeman is.

The parking and traffic are terrible. Why didn't you know putting a restaurant  there was a bad idea?

Matsen tries to explain, "We had no idea that restaurant would be so successful."

In Canada, they park underground. We should do that here.

"Well, living on a place that is on top of a volcano and with earthquake faults, sometimes we can't dig," Matsen answers.

"How tall does an apartment have to be before they have to install an elevator?" I asked.

"It depends, but usually two stories," he explained.

Bozeman and planning director Marty Matsen are trying to plan for everything happening in this fast growing city, but if you have any suggestions, Matsen is always willing to talk.

Call him at (406) 582-2260 and don't forget to tell him Dominick says "Hi."

Dominick