🌱 Students Complete Mural + School Facilities Rental Fee Increase

Morning, neighbors. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Bozeman Patch newsletter — here to explain all the most important things happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Couple of thunderstorms. High: 66 Low: 48.
• Saturday: A p.m. t-storm in spots. High: 66 Low: 44.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories today in Bozeman:

1. The Bozeman High School Art Club completed a mural last week at the 15th and Bealle Street roundabout to improve its safety. The design, featuring the Bitterroot flower and elements representing the four seasons, aimed to calm traffic and honor Montana. The students hand-crafted stencils for the mural, which took approximately a year to finish, and expressed satisfaction with the final result, hoping it would prevent accidents and bring color to the area. (KBZK News)
2. The Bozeman City Commission approved a provisional ordinance to regulate construction-related noise, marking the first update to noise codes since 2001. The ordinance prohibits construction noise exceeding 60 decibels above ambient levels between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. A permit and appeal process will be established, and residents can file noise complaints with the Community Development Department or the Bozeman police. While some residents expressed concerns about hindering construction and promoting housing growth, the commission emphasized the need to balance the city's rapid growth with the comfort of existing residents, leading to the ordinance's approval. The ordinance will undergo a second reading and vote at a future meeting. (Montana Right Now)
3. On Monday, the Bozeman School Board unanimously approved changes to the district's facilities use policy, including a new fee schedule to generate nearly $100,000 in building fund revenue to address budget cuts resulting from a deficit. The raised prices caused some contention among volunteer sports coaches who would now be charged for previously free space. The board acknowledged the need for fee procedures to be revisited and adjusted as necessary while recognizing the challenges of monitoring and enforcing facility usage without dedicated staff. (Subscription: Bozeman Daily Chronicle)

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Today and tomorrow in Bozeman:

Friday, May 26

• Concealed Carry Class At Sportsman's Warehouse (4:00 PM)

Saturday, May 27

• Where In Bozeman! A Walking Tour Of Unique And Hidden Architectural Gems At The Extreme History Project (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Bozeman is welcoming back the popular Bird Scooters for the summer, accompanied by new city policies to address past criticisms and controversies. The new regulations focus on proper parking to avoid blocking accessibility features and private property, with designated downtown scooter corrals and a requirement for riders to provide a photo of the parked scooter to ensure compliance. (NBC Montana)
• New homes have been listed for sale in the Bozeman area! Get all the property details at the link. (Bozeman Patch)
• Don't miss the opportunity to provide your input on various topics for the Unified Development Code (UDC) by May 31! Click here to view the UDC pamphlets and share your feedback. (City of Bozeman via Facebook)

That's it for today! I'll be back in your inbox soon with another update.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.