West Winds Completes Long-Awaited Neighborhood Trail and Bridge
- West Winds HOA
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
A Major Community Improvement Years in the Making
Project at a Glance
What: New neighborhood trail and U.S. Forest Service–style pedestrian bridge
Where: Through the HOA Open Space in the central part of West Winds Parks + HOA Open Space corridor area located between Breeze Ln (South) and Tchache Ln (North), and Hunters Way (West) and Buckrake Ave (East)
When: Construction completed November 2025
Construction Costs to HOA/Homeowners: $0.00 (funded entirely by GVLT & Gallatin County Open Lands Program)
Long-Term Maintenance: City of Bozeman (agreement in final legal review)
HOA Dues Impact: No dues increase; no special assessment
HOA Board/Volunteer Time: ~300 hrs
Legal Expense (contracts): ~$5,000
Surveying: $0 (provided by City)
Estimated value (time & materials): $65,000
The West Winds HOA is pleased to announce the completion of a new neighborhood trail connection and pedestrian bridge in November 2025. This project restores a long-planned connection originally envisioned during subdivision development (circa 2008) —linking West Winds directly to Bozeman’s broader Raptor Route and the City of Bozeman's active-transportation network.
Thanks to strong collaboration among the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), the City of Bozeman, and the West Winds HOA, this significant improvement was constructed at no cost to homeowners.
How the Project Started: A Long-Promised Connection Revisited
In late 2024, GVLT approached the HOA Board about formally completing the east–west trail corridor shown in early subdivision plans but never built. GVLT noted that this connection was identified in the City’s Parks, Recreation & Active Transportation (PRAT) Plan and would serve as a crucial pedestrian link for the west side of Bozeman.
Numerous meetings, emails, and multiple site walks, route assessments, and drainage evaluations followed. This renewed effort—led by GVLT with HOA partnership—revived the developer’s original concept in a way that met modern safety, environmental, and connectivity standards.
Trail Routing: Updated for Modern Planning and Open Space Conditions
The final trail alignment:
Follows the original east–west route envisioned by the developer
Incorporates improvements reflecting the updated City Parks, Recreation & Active Transport PRAT planning
Remains within or directly adjacent to the existing platted public-access easement
Minimizes impacts on vegetation and wildlife
Offers safer and more convenient access to the interlinking trails along Hunters Way, Tschache Lane, Buckrake Avenue, and neighboring subdivisions.
GVLT worked closely with HOA leadership to ensure the route respected the environmental character of the Open Space while still delivering meaningful connectivity benefits.
Bridge Construction: Built to U.S. Forest Service Standards
The new pedestrian bridge was constructed in accordance with U.S. Forest Service (USFS) trail-bridge standards, a national benchmark for safe, durable, low-impact bridges in natural environments.
This design was specifically selected because the bridge sits above the HOA’s central drainage corridor—a channel that is usually dry but may carry water during storms or spring runoff.
The elevated timber-stringer structure is engineered to:
Allow water to pass freely underneath
Avoid altering drainage function or capacity
Reduce erosion risk
Prevent blockages
Maintain natural flow characteristics
Blend into the surrounding Open Space
Importantly, the bridge does not change the drainage corridor, does not function as a stormwater facility, and does not increase flooding risk. It simply spans the corridor to allow safe pedestrian passage year-round.
Construction Completed: November 2025
In 2025, GVLT stepped forward with the technical ability, funding, and community support necessary to complete the trail. Working closely with the HOA, GVLT constructed:
Sub-base excavation and grading
A 6-foot gravel trail meeting City of Bozeman Connector Path standards
Placement of an 8-foot prefabricated USFS-standard timber pedestrian bridge
A safe and accessible crossing of the drainage corridor
Improved connectivity toward Tschache Lane, Buckrake Avenue, and the broader Raptor Route system
Full restoration of any areas temporarily disturbed during construction
Construction occurred in November 2025 following weather coordination and advance notice to the HOA. GVLT provided the HOA with timing updates and confirmed that all conditions of the License Agreement were met before work began.
The new trail and bridge are now fully open for resident use.
Protecting Homeowners: How the HOA Structured the Agreements
Because the new trail and bridge sit on HOA-owned Common Open Space, the Board took deliberate steps to protect the Association and ensure homeowners were not responsible for long-term maintenance or liability.
To achieve this, the HOA retained Troy Benson (Attorney) with Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven, P.C. (BKBH) to draft, negotiate, and finalize both required agreements:
The GVLT–HOA Temporary Construction License Agreement (fully executed)
The City of Bozeman Trail Easement & Maintenance Agreement (in final negotiation)
The Board’s priority was clear from the beginning: Ensure the City—not the HOA—assumes full responsibility for long-term trail and bridge maintenance.
Agreement 1:
GVLT + HOA Temporary Construction License Agreement (Fully Executed)
Ensuring Protection for HOA Land
Before construction began, the HOA and GVLT finalized a Temporary Construction License Agreement through HOA counsel (BKBH). This agreement:
Granted GVLT access to the HOA Common Open Space
Required construction to meet all applicable City standards
Ensured insurance, indemnification, and restoration protections
Preserved the HOA’s ownership of land and improvements
Established contractor access coordination and timing requirements
The GVLT + HOA agreement was developed over a series of detailed exchanges between GVLT, the HOA, and legal counsel to confirm the accuracy of exhibits, construction conditions, and insurance requirements.
Agreement 2:
City of Bozeman + HOA Trail & Bridge Maintenance Agreement (In Final Negotiation)
Version 1 - June 2025 - The HOA’s ORIGINAL Proposal to the City: A Comprehensive Protection-First Agreement
To ensure strong protections for the Association, the HOA’s legal counsel initially drafted a comprehensive Trail Easement & Maintenance Agreement for the City’s review. This original version:
Clearly assigned all long-term maintenance and repair responsibilities to the City
Includes a full list of maintenance tasks (grading, resurfacing, brush removal, weed mitigation, repairs, signage, etc.)
Required the City to assume liability and risk associated with public use of the trail
Clarified the bridge & trail’s construction, location, and design standards
Addressed the relationship between the newly constructed trail and the existing recorded public-access easement
Ensured the trail & bridge improvements constructed in HOA Open Space become a managed part of the City’s active-transportation system
Included exhibit maps, detailed maintenance duties, and broader legal protections for the HOA
This draft was intentionally thorough to ensure that homeowners would not bear maintenance costs, future liabilities, or infrastructure responsibilities.
Version 2 - October 2025 - The City's COUNTERPROPOSAL: A Simplified Maintenance-Only Agreement
In October 2025, the City of Bozeman formally responded—not by adopting or editing the HOA’s comprehensive draft, but by counterproposing the original, with a simpler agreement form and modifications made by the City Attorney.
The City’s version:
Focuses exclusively on maintenance (not easement creation)
Aligns the maintained area with the existing platted easement
Provides a defined list of City responsibilities:
Inspections
Grading and resurfacing
Vegetation trimming/brush control
Structural repairs and replacement
Trail signage
Commits the City to maintaining the trail and bridge “to a standard of reasonable care.”
Avoids restating public-access rights already established on the plat
City staff confirmed that the Attorney’s Office is reviewing the plat and wants to avoid creating or modifying access rights through the maintenance agreement.
Why Both Versions Matter
The HOA’s draft also provided stronger enforceability
The HOA’s original agreement contained clear, detailed, and enforceable standards. It specified exactly what maintenance included, mapped the precise corridor for which the City would be responsible, tied obligations to defined performance standards, and clarified the relationship between the maintenance agreement and the existing public-access easement. These details gave the HOA a stronger ability to hold the City accountable if maintenance was not performed.
In contrast, the City’s simplified version uses broader language—such as maintaining the trail to a "standard of reasonable care"—which is common in municipal agreements but less enforceable because it provides the City greater discretion. Despite this difference, both drafts still meet the HOA’s primary goal: ensuring that the City, not the HOA, maintains the trail and bridge.
The HOA’s version was more detailed to ensure:
Strong homeowner protection
Clear assignment of responsibilities
Zero future maintenance costs to the HOA
No confusion over who maintains public infrastructure
The City’s version is narrower because:
The City prefers a maintenance-only agreement
Public-access rights already exist in the plat
Narrow agreements reduce administrative and legal complexity
A leaner agreement reduces legal risk on the City’s side
The City wants to maintain flexibility in how it maintains public trails
Both versions share the most important goal:
The City—not the HOA—will maintain the trail and bridge.
This is the central protection for homeowners.
Where Things Stand Today
As of Dec 7, 2025
DONE:
✔ HOA dues or assessments: Unaffected
✔ GVLT + HOA Temporary Construction License Agreement
✔ GVLT trail and bridge construction - Open to the public
✔ Future maintenance: Will be fully transferred to the City once the agreement is signed and recorded
WORK-IN-PROGRESS:
🔲 City + HOA Trail & Bridge Maintenance Agreement
The HOA’s legal counsel (BKBH) is reviewing the City’s counterproposal to ensure:
The City’s maintenance obligations are comprehensive and enforceable, and cannot shift back to the HOA
The exhibits accurately reflect the constructed trail and bridge
No conflicts arise with the subdivision’s existing public-access easement
HOA and Homeowner protections remain intact - HOA liability is minimized
All maintenance responsibilities remain with the City—not the HOA
The HOA will only move forward once the final draft fully protects the Association and meets the Board’s stated goals. Until the agreement is executed, the HOA continues coordinating with legal counsel to ensure all protections remain strong and unambiguous.
Community Benefits: A Better-Connected, More Accessible Neighborhood
The completed trail and bridge provide significant long-term value to West Winds residents:
✔ Improved Connectivity
A safe, continuous route now links West Winds to parks, schools, nearby subdivisions, and the citywide active-transportation network.
✔ Increased Property Values
Trails and walkable amenities consistently enhance neighborhood desirability.
✔ Safer Mobility
The new bridge eliminates informal crossings and directs foot traffic onto a designed, constructed path.
✔ Zero Construction Cost to the HOA
All design, labor, materials, and permitting were handled by GVLT and funded through the Gallatin County Open Lands Program.
✔ Strong Legal Protections
Agreements were professionally drafted and reviewed to ensure long-term maintenance responsibility rests with the City.
What Happens Next
The new trail and bridge are open and fully usable today. The only remaining step is completion of the City of Bozeman Trail Maintenance Agreement.
Once the City finalizes and signs the agreement:
The trail and bridge will officially become part of the City-maintained trail network
The City will assume all ongoing maintenance, inspections, repairs, resurfacing, and signage
No long-term cost or maintenance burden will fall to the HOA
The improvements will remain a permanent asset to the neighborhood and broader community
The HOA will notify owners immediately upon execution and recording of the agreement.
A Strong Partnership Delivers for the Community
This project is a successful example of partnership between nonprofit, municipal, and HOA entities:
GVLT — planning, design, administration, and construction
City of Bozeman — long-term maintenance and trail network integration
West Winds HOA — landowner coordination, oversight, and legal protections
BKBH Legal Counsel — drafting and negotiation of both agreements
The HOA Board especially wants to recognize and thank:
Adam Johnson, Trails Program Manager | GVLT
Addi Jadin, Park Planning & Development Manager | City of Bozeman Parks & Recreation Dept
Troy Bentson, Senior Attorney & Shareholder | BKBH
Thanks to these coordinated efforts, West Winds residents now enjoy a long-promised amenity that enhances the neighborhood for years to come.
Learn more - Watch the Original: Board Presentation on April 8, 2025
If you have questions about the project, please contact the HOA Board of Directors. Directors & Officers
Kitch Walker, President (3YR Term - elected in Jan 2023)
Linda Racicot, Treasurer (3YR Term - elected in Feb 2024)
Mandee Arnold, Secretary (3YR Term - elected in Feb 2024)
Officers
John Stelly, Vice President
Dillon Fatouros, Assistant Secretary
The Board of Directors & Officers
West Winds Master Homeowners’ Association, Inc.
