The site of the proposed Ferguson Farms II development is seen on the other side of Resort Drive from the first phase of the Ferguson Farm project on Friday, March 10, 2023.
The site of the proposed Ferguson Farms II development is seen on the other side of Resort Drive from the first phase of the Ferguson Farm project on Friday, March 10, 2023.
An additional 31 acres of largely commercial buildings are planned to go in next to the existing Ferguson Farm development in west Bozeman.
Ferguson Farm is home to restaurants like Sidewinders and Tanglewood on Huffine Lane and the developer is proposing the second phase of the development to its east to also focus on commercial space. About 850,000 square feet of commercial space is proposed for the second phase.
Developer Michael Delaney said during a city commission meeting this week that they worked on the project for about two years and are looking at it as an extension of the first phase of Ferguson Farm.
He emphasized that they were looking to make the second phase walkable and said they are planning for hotel development on the property.
“This is pedestrian-friendly development, not a vehicular-friendly (development),” Delaney said.
City planner Susana Montana said during the meeting that the site is zoned urban mixed-use zoning, meaning it could have both residential and commercial buildings on it. Montana said the developer was proposing to have the project be “internally oriented.”
City commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the development’s planned unit development, a process by which the developer can ask for deviations from city codes in exchange for providing “public benefits.” The city retooled the planned unit development, or PUD, format last year, but Ferguson Farm was grandfathered in under the old process.
Commissioner Christopher Coburn voted against the PUD, citing concerns that it wasn’t clear enough what the development would turn into.
Through the PUD, the developers requested 26 deviations from city codes, including from parking requirements, allowing for building height limits up to six stories or 90 feet, and allowing for buildings to be constructed on the property lines.
Under the approved PUD, the developer does not have to follow minimum or maximum city parking requirements.
Tyler Steinway, an urban planner with Intrinsik Architecture who represented the project in front of the city commission, said about 1,500 parking spaces would be required under city code, but they are planning to only provide 883.
He said they expect different commercial spaces — like offices and restaurants — would have different operating hours, making the parking adequate.
“The parking minimums in commercial districts are somewhat restrictive and limit your ability to create more commercial,” Steinway said.
Several city commissioners mentioned the parking deviations in their comments. Deputy Mayor Terry Cunningham said he was nervous about the concept of having no minimum parking requirements, but noted it was on the developer to fix if they were having parking issues.
“I think we’re entering — thank goodness — a new era of parking,” Commissioner Jennifer Madgic said. “We don’t need Walmart-type parking lots anymore.”
The PUD also allows for the developers to use entirely surface parking on all street frontages.
Cyndy Andrus said the surface parking request did give her pause, saying she thinks it goes against the developer’s goal to create a pedestrian-friendly project. But, she said she supported the majority of the development.
“The overwhelming part of it is something that I can support,” Andrus said.
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