HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-24-16 Public Comment - L. Fedro - Black OliveFrom: Laura Fedro [laura@laurafedrointeriors.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2016 4:38 PM
To: Chris Mehl
Subject: The Black Olive
Chris,
First, thank you for your time, specifically for joining us last week at the Willson meeting about the BO,
and more generally, for ALL the time I’m sure you commit to serving our community. I am full of
admiration, and I say that wholeheartedly.
Since our meeting last week, several things have unfolded in our neighborhood that I consider very sad
and telling about how the B-3 zoning absolutely and directly affects the very fabric of our tight-knit
neighborhood in the downtown core.
I think the overriding understanding of our gathering last week is that Andy does have “by right” (as he
stated several times during the meeting) the grounds to build whatever is allowable on that lot.
That said, because he is building on that teeny lot a building that seems far out-of-scale as it interfaces
our single and double story neighborhood, at least a pair of our neighbors are leaving that corner (205
and 217 South Bozeman) and we fear if HomeBase also buys the house at 205 S Bozeman, he will have a
direct (construction) drive into the property, thereby isolating the house on the corner of S Bozeman
and Olive, and further eroding the safety and relative quiet we’ve enjoyed all these decades, despite
living in a downtown neighborhood and servicing many summer and winter community “venues”.
I have also begun to consider my alternatives, since my home will be immediately impacted by this 5
story, 50 unit structure. I wouldn’t call this inner city White Flight :} but I would call this Developer
Intimidation and I think it’s really SUCH a disagreeable moment in our City’s planning and its future. The
argument put forth that “we all knew the zoning was B-3 when we bought our houses” doesn’t hold any
water for me, because when we bought our houses, the only experience we had with B-3 zoning was the
simple little two story structure that occurred there at the corner of Black and Olive. I believe it’s an
honest statement to say that No One could have predicted the unprecedented growth this entire
western region has experienced the last decade.
In closing, I wish to express my undeterred desire for all sorts of infill development; for my continued
support of the growth in the downtown core of Bozeman; and for congratulating all of us for
maintaining the civility needed to see us all through these growing pains. That said, I do so hope there is
something we can do, as a very close, progressive neighborhood, to sway the City and HomeBase from
destroying what is so good about living in the downtown core.
Best regards,
Laura Fedro
Laura Fedro, Principal
[laura_square2-07 (3)]