HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-15-16 Public Comment - V. Holznagel - ParkingCommissionerGroupID: 152
First Name: Valerie
Last Name: Holznagel
Email: valholznagel@gmail.com
Phone Number: (406) 209-4747
Message: Hi - I wasn't able to make the last parking meeting, but I have some concerns. I share
the ideal of higher density urban areas versus sprawl, and I share the ideal of alternative
transportation. I have always hated a dependency on cars and grew up in a large city where they
weren't needed. I am also a mom of young children and a downtown resident. The reality is that people with children need cars in this city to get to work, to pick up/drop off kids, to access
recreation sites. Even without kids, most people living here are here because they love the great
outdoors, and have vehicles to get them there. Middle-age people are not realistically going to
ride their bikes around town year-round either. Many new large residential structures are being
built downtown (yay!), but have fewer parking spots than units. And many hotels are being built without adequate parking. The parking requirement that individual homeowners face when they
would like to build onto their property has been waived over and again for these big developers.
Where are all these people going to park? It's an unrealistic dream to think they won't own cars
and trucks. Parking meters aren't the solution, as people can park for free at shopping centers
everywhere else. I'm struggling to understand why parking (basement garage? first floor?) isn't a requirement for new development. It's going to put a great stress on downtown businesses and
residents too. I really worry that the downtown community character of Bozeman that we all
know and love will die. I hope you are all thinking about these concerns as well.
Form inserted: 6/15/2016 7:38:21 AM
Form updated: 6/15/2016 7:38:21 AM