Visions NE Committee

Visions NE Committee: Defining Community Character

What makes a neighborhood what it is? It’s obvious that Northeast Bozeman is quite different from the Bozeman Creek or Flanders Pond neighborhoods, but what are the specific characteristics that make NENA special? Answering that question has become vital, since our neighborhood, one of Bozeman’s oldest and most established areas, is seeing unprecedented growth ranging from tear-downs of existing housing stock to large residential, commercial and mixed use developments along the edge of downtown and in the more industrial areas in the northeastern portion of the neighborhood.

Change is here. Our goal in the Visions NE committee is to find ways to guide change in directions that enhance the best aspects of our neighborhood. In 2019, NENA residents joined together to put on the PhotoVoices exhibit. Photos were submitted to reflect cherished aspects of the neighborhood, including small houses, big trees, social gatherings, alleys and the creative, funky vibe that permeates the area. Hundreds of residents and visitors saw the photos and commented on them at the TinWorks pop-up exhibits. Since that time, NENA has been working with MSU professors Sarah Church and Susanne Cowen to help objectively measure neighborhood character.

The NE Visions committee is developing a neighborhood charter with six to ten goals. These are in the draft stage and include preserving the diversity and affordability of housing; walkability; and ability to support neighborhood interaction. The next step is to work with the City to identify potential tools available to meet neighborhood goals.

If you’d like to become more involved in NENA’s work on neighborhood character, please contact Karen at karen_filipovich@hotmail.com.