HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-07-16, Public Comment, Parker, Stopka ZMANovember 7, 2016
Jason and Janice Parker
1192 Pin Ave
Bozeman, Mt 59718
To Whom It May Concern,
I would like to comment in regards to Application 16380 Stopka Zone Map Amendment.
I believe this request should be denied. It should we denied for four reasons. The first reason it
should be denied is due to lack of parking. The front of these residences is on Oak and parking
is not permitted there. The back side is all driveways and does not allow for any street parking.
The only place there is street parking is on the road opposite and has already seen significant
congestion. There will be little to no room for parking for new residences that are R-2
buildings, let alone with even greater occupancy with R-3. There would be so many vehicles in
such a small area it would become unsafe. Currently people are frequently parking in front of
fire hydrants and by stop signs at corners, where it is illegal to park. Adding higher density
housing would further exacerbate this problem. Due to the lack of parking this request should
be denied.
The second reason this request should be denied is due to the potential larger size that
R-3 zoning permits. A building with a similar sloped roof is permitted to be between 8’-10’
higher in R-3 versus R-2 zoning. This would be a detriment to the neighborhood in appearance
and would result in a decline of the property values of all of the neighboring buildings. The
reason for this would be two fold. First, it would eliminate many other people’s views of the
Bridger Mountains. Views and beauty are why people move to Montana, to eliminate people’s
view by having a significantly higher roof would lower their property’s value and make it more
difficult to sell their property in the future. Second, adding a building or buildings that does not
fit into the overall feel of the neighborhood would also decrease neighboring property values.
It would be an eyesore to have a building that was so much taller than those around it. I would
not want to live in a neighborhood with an odd out of place structure and would not want to
buy a house in a neighborhood with such a building. Therefore, since these structures would
look out of place and decrease property values, as a result, this request should be denied.
The third reason this request should be denied is because of the pretence in which I
bought property in Oak Springs. When I purchased property in Oak Springs I knew that there
would be R-2 zone housing in the neighborhood. I knew as a buyer that R-2 zoning nearby
would lower the value of my home versus a neighborhood with all R-1, but it was a choice I
knowingly made. I bought this property with an expectation that my property would be
affected by R-2 housing. I believe in a way the city made an unstated contract that I could have
an expectation of what would be built around me and I made decisions based on those
assumptions. To change the zoning of those lots after some people have owned houses and
lots for up to 10 years feels like a breach of contract. When they bought those properties,
which they want to amend, they knew it was R-2. When I bought my property, I knew those
where R-2 zoned and if it had been R-3 at that time I never would have purchased the property
that I did. It is unjust to change it now and to cause the value of my house to decline in order
for a few people to have a benefit. Bozeman should be a city where people can move and
know what expectation to have of what their neighborhood will be like. To change it this late in
the game sets a bad precedent and would lead to mistrust of the zoning commission.
The fourth reason this request should be denied is because of the method that appraisers use
to value properties. Appraisals are made based off of the value of homes within a small area to
each other. R-3 residences are typically smaller and valued at less than R-2. Having lower cost
homes brought in would lower the value of all the homes in the neighborhood.
In conclusion, I do not believe that the benefit of a few should result in the detriment of
many. The benefit they would gain is minute compared to the detriment of many of their
neighbors and the community as a whole. Thank you for taking my comments into
consideration when considering application 16380 Stopka Zone Map Amendment.
Sincerely,
Janice Parker