details on the proposed yoga retreat at the home of Benjamin Sears, 3011 Goose Creek Rd
WHAT’S BEING PROPOSED? (scroll down for THE survey)
My name is Benjamin Sears, and I’m requesting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from Gallatin County to host Yoga and Wellness retreats at my home. In my initial application I requested a maximum of 18 guests and 6 employees which would only be achievable with interior and septic renovations. In response to the concerns raised by neighbors I am reducing my request to a maximum of 10 guests and 4 employees with no required renovations. I am further reducing my requested maximum number of operating days from 110 to 85.
WHAT IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?
A Conditional Use Permit is for a type of use that is allowed within a Zoning District but comes with conditions specific to each application. If such a permit is approved by the Gallatin County Planning Commision, then the permit comes with conditions that must be upheld by the permit-holder, and no future owner of the property may change those conditions without a new application. For example, if my proposed CUP for yoga and wellness retreats is approved, then neither I nor anyone else can use the property for another conditional use - such as a snowmobile operation or a horse ranch - nor can the guest capacity increase. All of the conditions of the approval are only changeable with a new application.
WHY A GUEST RANCH CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?
The reason I submitted my application as a guest ranch was based on guidance by the Gallatin County planning staff. I met with them before and after I purchased my home, and was advised that my proposed use would fit under a Guest Ranch Conditional Use Permit.
ARE GUEST RANCHES ALLOWED IN TRAIL CREEK?
Yes, both guest ranches and bed and breakfasts are allowed within the Trail Creek zoning regulations as a conditional use. From 2004 to 2020, the Lion’s Ridge Youth Camp operated in Trail Creek with a guest ranch conditional use permit.
HOW IS A YOGA RETREAT RELATED TO A GUEST RANCH?
My yoga and wellness retreat proposal promotes the essence of a traditional guest ranch, inviting guests into my home in an intimate setting and building a deep connection between guests and staff. Guest ranches have been part of Montana's Western tradition for 100± years, providing a home away from home in the American West and building lifelong relationships between staff and guests. Like Lion’s Ridge, my guest ranch conditional use permit would not include intensive uses on the land such as livestock or motorized recreational vehicles. Instead, my retreat will be focused on meditative wellness experiences, friendships, and family style meals of local ingredients, prepared by a Bozeman-born chef.
HOW DID I GET TO GOOSE CREEK?
I was first invited to Montana in 2012 to teach yoga workshops, returning nearly every year, and started dreaming about settling in Bozeman. At the time, I was running a nearly identical retreat in a residential area outside a small village in rural Southern France. The more time I spent in Montana over the years, the more I knew it was where I wanted to make my long-term home and raise a family. COVID-19 forced me to pack things up in France, sell everything, and jump on my Montana dream sooner than planned. I was fortunate to find a home up Goose Creek.
HOW is FRANCE AT all SIMILAR TO MONTANA?
The retreat House in France was only 15 minutes from a larger town (Vence) and yet only 5 minutes from the Loup River, with public access hiking trails nearby, just like Goose Creek.
The land parcels in France were smaller (mostly 5 acres as opposed to 20) and I had great relationships with my neighbors. Wildlife was abundant, including roe deer, red deer, wild boar, royal eagles, hawks, many bird species, plus marmots, ibex, and occasional lynx and wolves on the trails above us.
My closest neighbor, a retired architect, wrote the following public comment:
“I Christophe Petitcollot, architect, living at 551 chemin de Saint Arnoux, Tourrettes sur Loup, South of France, have been the neighbour of Benjamin for 15 years. During all those years, our houses being 300 meters away, I never had to complain of any noise or inconveniences of any sort.”
WHAT EXACTLY IS A YOGA AND WELLNESS RETREAT? HOW DOES IT WORK?
The yoga and wellness retreats that I have hosted since 2007 like a large family gathering, but with the purpose of inspiring people to live healthy, peaceful, and fulfilling lives. This is not some frivolous vacation. The combination of the home atmosphere and the introspective practices is powerful. People get insights that inspire personal change and growth.
Some retreats are more focused on challenging physical practices like handstands. Some events are specific to yoga teacher development. Others are focused more towards group coaching on life’s challenges, while still others are geared towards yoga students who are 65+ years old. My goal is to host the same types of experiences here.
The retreats are all-inclusive, so guests do not leave to go out to dinner on their own, or create additional traffic for personal reasons.
The experience is very different from a large resort, in which guests are all over the place doing different things. The underlying premise, and power of these small events, is that we share all meals, practices, and moments together.
Here’s a detailed overview of what would be included at my proposed retreats in Trail Creek:
A typical retreat is 7 days long.
My proposed capacity is for a maximum of 10 guests, but retreats are rarely run at capacity because many guests prefer to book private rooms. Based on the booking data I have from running the retreats in France since 2007, I anticipate that I would average 7-8 guests per retreat.
On arrival and departure days, guests would be picked up at the airport or downtown by 1 or 2 SUVs, depending on the group size.
Each day, guests would eat breakfast, practice yoga, fitness, or meditation, eat lunch, enjoy some downtime. In the afternoon, guests would practice yoga a second time, followed by dinner, enjoying each other’s company, and a good night’s sleep.
On 1 or 2 retreat days, we would offer an excursion, which means guests arrive and depart in 2 SUVs and potentially my own car.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU PROPOSE TO OFFER RETREATS?
Our current proposal is for no more than 85 operating days per year, and I doubt we will reach that number. I live at 3011 Goose Creek year round, so most of the year, it’s only me, and sometimes my girlfriend at the house.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE NAME BOZEMAN HOUSE?
I chose Bozeman House because it speaks to the small, family-style vibe of the experiences I offer, and gives people an immediate idea of our general location. I also just like the name. My best friend and I thought of it on a hike.
DID YOU HOLD AND PROMOTE RETREATS UP TRAIL CREEK BEFORE YOU HAD APPROVAL?
Yes, I hosted mock retreats with my friends, family, and long-time students who are graduates of my yoga training program at my home to build a buzz about the proposed experience while simultaneously preparing to submit my official CUP proposal to County Planning. I promoted these mock retreats on social media and on my website as a marketing strategy to get people excited about proposed future events that would be open to the public. It was never my intention to run real retreats without permits, and I wish that I had clarified the process with my neighbors. I apologize for this, and any stress it may have caused you.
I do feel that our test events were respectful, and quiet, and from those experiences I also learned how to make even less of an impact on the neighborhood in the future. My first contact with County Planning was in March 2022, long before my purchase of the property, and there were multiple meetings subsequently. I purchased the property officially on August 2, 2022, and I hope you are willing to understand that it took quite some time to get a proper application together as I was learning on the fly. In May of 2023, after a number of missteps, I finally found the right engineer (Marlene Sadaj of Seak Engineering), and we were able to submit our initial application this past October.
HOW WILL THE YOGA RETREAT MAINTAIN THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF TRAIL CREEK?
It’s important to note that the whole point of these family-style retreats is to foster a sense of peace. The combination of yoga practice, great food, and the scenery at my house is really all you need.
I am confident that the retreats would be barely noticeable that from visual, traffic and/or noise standpoints. The proposed retreats will not create any exterior changes to my home. We will only use the buildings that pre-existed before my arrival, so from the outside, everything will look the same, and guests will be brought to my home. This isn’t a Yoga studio operation where many people drive in for multiple classes in one day. A retreat means the same small group all week.
You might notice up to five cars owned by myself and retreat staff members parked up by the house , just like you often see multiple cars, trucks and RVS parked at your other neighbors’ homes. I would expect that people passing by might see some people walking from the house to the barn in the Summer. Essentially, it would be about the same as you’d expect to see as if I had my parents, siblings and their kids visiting.
I also suggested to the commission that they impose a noise restriction condition.
HOW HAVE TRAFFIC CONCERNS BEEN ADDRESSED?
To determine how much traffic would be generated versus a typical single family household, Hale’s Engineering, an outfit that specializes in traffic and transportation planning did a comparison between the industry standard(ITE), trip generation for single family residences, versus the proposed guest ranch use. Hale’s Engineering determined that on a yearly basis, the proposed yoga retreat will generate approximately 31% of the trips that a typical single family residential unit generates and will have a lower impact on the adjacent roads than that of a typical single family residence over the course of a year.
what about WATER + WASTEWATER?
The existing septic is approved for a 5 bedroom home. Onsite wastewater treatment design is dictated by DEQ Circular 4. All wastewater design is based on flow rate in "gallons per day". DEQ Circular 4 assigns a flow rate of 400 gallons per day to a 5 bedroom residential home. DEQ Circular 4 Table 3-1.2 assigns a flow rate of 40 gallons per day per person to recreational overnight facilities. The flow rate for 10 guests is equivalent to that of a 5 bedroom single family home.
My home is served by an existing groundwater well drilled in 2007. The water well was recently sampled for total coliform and background nitrates. Total coliform was absent and background nitrates were reported as nondetect. The proposed use would not trigger public water supply requirements. However, I will have the background nitrates and total coliform be sampled annually to ensure that the water quality remains safe. Further, use of my well will not affect groundwater of any nearby wells, as third-party engineers can verify.
HOW HAVE WILDLIFE CONCERNS BEEN ADDRESSED?
I will not fence or otherwise restrict wildlife that roam the property. Guests will be educated upon arrival about the rules of the property as they relate to wildlife, and sign a commitment to adhering to those rules. Also, neighbors have noted concerns about a salt lick on my property. When I purchased the home, the salt lick was in place, and the previous owner, a Montana native, encouraged me to keep and replace it. I have since removed it and will consult Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to ensure that my guests and I observe all wildlife regulations.
HOW HAVE FIRE CONCERNS BEEN ADDRESSED?
I am committed to following FireWise recommendations for my home by creating defensible space and my outdoor fire pit. These recommendations include:
· Keeping fires under three feet in diameter and two feet high
· Keeping fires confined to a permanent outdoor fire ring
· Having a garden hose nearby
· Never letting a fire burn unattended
· Properly maintaining and watching the fire at all times
· Not building a fire during High Fire danger periods
· Siting my fire pit at least 15 feet away from all structures, trees, shrubs or flammable objects
· Supervising children and pets when they are near the fire
· Never cutting live trees or branches for fires
· When putting out a fire, watering it until I can handle the embers
o Allowing the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible
o Pouring lots of water on the fire, drowning all embers, not just the red ones
o Pouring until the hissing sound stops
o Stirring the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel
o Stirring and making sure everything is wet and they are cold to the touch
HOW WILL PRIVACY + NOISE CONCERNS BE ADDRESSED?
Inherent to the ethos of these retreats is peace and quiet. I know that sound travels in the neighborhood. As one of our proposed conditions of approval, there will be no broadcasting of music or other sounds that could disturb neighbors after 10pm, all guests will be educated on property boundaries, and general neighborly behavior. I recognize that you might hear an occasional laugh or echo, but no more than a family gathering. I will keep an open phone line for all neighbors in the event anyone needs to contact me at any time during a retreat.
For reference, my former neighbor in France, a retired architect, submitted a public comment that during my 15 years of operation, he never had any complaints regarding noise or inconveniences of any sort. Several long-time guests also submitted public comments speaking to the respect that is given to our surroundings and neighbors during retreat operations.
WHAT ABOUT GOOSE CREEK RD MAINTENANCE AND PLOWING?
I appreciate my neighbors’ concerns regarding the maintenance of Goose Creek Road. Goose Creek Road currently lacks an organized maintenance program, and no one is interested in signing a permit agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to be responsible for the entire road and parking lot up at the trailhead, however, I have spoken with one of the neighbors who leads the plowing efforts, and have offered to contribute $1,000 to a neighborhood maintenance and plowing fund. If road grading in excess of what the Forest Service provides is deemed necessary, I will take on the entire cost of this operation from Trail Creek up to my property, a little less than ¼ mile.
As a mitigation measure as part of the approval for this conditional use permit, I will waive my right to protest the formation of a rural improvement district and/or agree to join an HOA or Road Association to equitably share in the cost of ongoing maintenance on Goose Creek Road. In the interim, I will also take responsibility for plowing the section of Goose Creek Road from Trail Creek Road to my driveway.
HOW WILL THIS RETREAT AND ITS GUESTS ABIDE BY THE CODE OF THE WEST?
Privacy, peace and quiet, and maintaining the pristine quality of the land are not just tantamount to the experience, but exactly why people come to one of my retreats. Each guest will read and sign a commitment geared towards maintaining the privacy and peacefulness of Goose Creek.
WILL THERE BE ANY NEW BUILDINGS ADDED TO THE PROPERTY?
There will be no additional buildings added to my property. My plan is to utilize the three existing structures - all of which were in place when I purchased it - for the retreats. I hope to eventually do some interior remodeling of the single family residence and detached garage, but that would require a separate approval process and is not in question at this time.
My home is located within the Fort Ellis Fire District, and feedback from Fort Ellis indicates that adequate signage needs to be placed on the property boundary with illuminated address identification to allow first responders to easily identify the address. Based on this feedback, I have worked with local architect Jessica Jellison to propose a typical Montana-style entrance with vertical wood beams and a very minimally lit address sign. The address illumination would be incorporated into the archway with a solar powered downward pointing light fixture. The design would maintain the rural atmosphere for the Trail Creek neighborhood as it would mimic other designs already found on Goose Creek RD.
WHAT ARE THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?
Below are the conditions I am proposing, and I am open to any other reasonable conditions suggested by my neighbors or imposed by the Planning Commission.
Recreational activities limited to: Yoga, wellness, fitness, and meditation
No Guest Ranch “Day users” permitted during retreats
Limited to 1 maximum single-day retreat per month (so that local community benefits from an occasional low-cost option) with same traffic restrictions
Limited to 10 overnight guests and 4 employees
Limited to 85 operating days per year
No exterior signage on the property displaying guest ranch operation
Guests must be transported to the property by group shuttle
No listing the property address on the website or social media
No operation as a “retail” yoga studio (daily traffic, etc)
No loud broadcasting of music or other sounds that could disturb neighbors after 10pm
Only staff will be allowed to use/manage the fire pit
No Fencing of the property boundary, use rock cairns or simple wooden/decorative stakes as a visual aid to signify edge of property boundary for guests
Vehicle traffic limited to six round trips per day
Annual water sampling for total coliform and nitrates
Waive right to protest formation of a RID
Agree to join an HOA or Road Association if formed for Goose Creek
Contribute $1,000 annually to Goose Creek plowing fund
Keep phone line open during events for neighbors to report any reasonable noise disturbance
