HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-26-16, Pertzborn, Cottage Housing Public Comment
Hi
Just a few comments/notes in place a possibly long winded meeting/call:
- I believe the Cottage Housing Ordinance is a good thing and will result in a supply small homes on small lots – which is not happening enough in Bozeman.
Once people get to see, visit and/or live small – other projects will follow.
- I believe the cottage housing code is relatively complicated and hard
for most people to assess the issues and angles.
- I am not sure why it needs to be completely tied to affordable housing. Are we seeing this in other communities where cottage housing is successful? I
fear tagging the ordinance to cottage housing may hinder it being done well and
being replicated.
- I heard one of the major incentives justifying the affordable housing
restrictions was expedited review. Frankly I don’t see that as a big incentive as projects take time. Perhaps we separate the incentives for those looking to
do the affordability component and leave market rate alone.
- I understand that the expedited review/concurrent construction, etc incentives are only available for projects in certain areas - outside the core
and essentially previously platted neighborhoods (that contemplated higher
density).This would suggest the affordability component makes even less sense in the areas where all the incentives are not available.
I am all for creatively incentivizing affordable housing, but I think we should be very careful when attaching things together and unintended consequences.
One more comment – in the Planning Board meeting – minimum house sizes were
discussed. I gleaned the following:
Smallest house you can build by international building code (1 Bed, 1 Ba, 1
Kitch, common space): 330 SF 2 Bed 1 Bath: 400 SF min 3 Bed 2 Bath: 600 SF min
BZN affordable housing code min is 800 SF (1 bed 1 bath) or (2 bed 1 bath); It also describes larger size bedroom options minimums: 3 Bed 1.5 bath min is 1250
SF; 4+ Bedrooms 2 bath is 1400 SF. In short: I think our BZN requirements for
providing basic housing may be too big, especially when contemplating including in cottage housing. I can imagine a scenario where the affordable units could be
bigger and must be sold for less than the market rate homes.
OK – enough digi rambling. Try me tomorrow if you have any specific questions.
Regards,
RJP
Robert J. Pertzborn, AIA Principal I Architect
intrinsik architecture, inc.
111 north tracy avenue bozeman, montana 59715 t. 406.582.8988 m. 406.580.0422
www.intrinsikarchitecture.com<http://www.intrinsikarchitecture.com/>