Bozeman News

LEED green certified 1,200 Homes, 140,000 SQ FT commercial

Story Mill Center Approved, Green Developers Watch Bozeman

By Lucia Stewart, 12-10-07

One of the largest mixed-use, neighborhood developments presented to the Bozeman City Commissioners was unanimously approved last Monday night, greening the way for sustainable developers to watch and examine the Story Mill Center for a few reasons.

For one, the Story Mill’s development team approached the city planning process and local community vastly different than most developers, as collaborators not obstacles.

For another, this 106-acre, historical refurbishing project is a national pilot project for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Neighborhood Development program, an aspect the Bozeman City Commission commended, and actually required as a condition of approval that the Story Mill Center follow through with.

These new set of guidelines and principles include the reuse of existing onsite materials, reduction of automobile dependency, parkland and wetland preservation and storm water conservation, to name a few.

The Story Mill Center is a mixed-use infill project located less than 2 miles from downtown Bozeman. It will contain 140,000 square feet of commercial space and 1,200 homes, and projected to create 770 jobs and bringing in $308 million in tax revenue over the next 30 years to the city of Bozeman.

In a town that is faced with rapid sprawling development and the burden of the funding new roads, fire, police and jail facilities, as well as a remodel of the high school, a new middle school and upgraded city offices in the old library, this tax revenue could be a huge value.

With the city commission changing seats at the end of this year, GoBuild Inc. and Blue Sky Development were hoping for approval, as it’s been over a year and a half process since they first began conversation with the city and community.

It’s rare a project goes in front of the city commission discussing wetland preservation, biomass storage, rainwater capturing and zero-setback to create walkable commercial areas.

This made a few of the commission weary at first as the project is complex with 10 phases, extensive deviations and review types as well as working within the perimeters of LEED Neighborhood guidelines. The city found it difficult to sift though a few items the final approval night, but all were generally finer points of detail.

With a 10-year extended build out, the city was concerned on the degree of uncertainty in this amount of time. Builders stated that this length of time is necessary because of the size of the project and assured the city that the transportation plan will be reviewed and modified as needed over the years to incorporate any changes that may occur in the area.

The other issue was affordable housing. Due to the loss of 40-units in the Bridger Trailer Park, there were recommendations of at least that many affordable housing units be included in the Story Mill Project. Conversation is still continuing with the Human Resource Development Council on how to best achieve this, as the developers assured the city a similar number will be achieved since part of the objectives of LEED includes social justice.

The historical preservation concerns of the 1893 flourmill buildings were to make sure the new the old contrasted each other.

The Bozeman planning board unanimously approved and supported the project, stating they have never seen a project of this nature and degree of sustainability. One individual commented that many eyes in the region are on this project for just those reasons.

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