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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-15-16 Public Comment - C. Parker - Black Olive November 08, 2016 D Carolyn S. Parker 15 016 I PO BOX 1945 -- - - lJEl'Ai�i Ui i:N 1 uE Bozeman, MT 59771 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Re: Black Olive Project To Whom It May Concern: I have owned a home at 205 South Bozeman Avenue for about 23 years. I purchased the home myself, raised children there as a single parent, while working hard to afford the mortgage payments. This is a family home where adult children return and visit and live, now with their own children. Finding out that a developer planned a mammoth multi-story building within a few feet of the backdoor was upsetting at best, and caused many sleepless nights. I feel this house and the neighborhood we have known for 23 years is being assaulted. My house is one of three that are directly affected because they are all up against a giant building project, possibly irreparably impacted. This Black Olive proposed building sits on the edge of commercial development, but it borders older, established historical residential neighborhoods which are severely affected in several ways. Black and Olive streets already have congested traffic, and on-street parking issues. Olive is a heavily traveled throughway, and ripe for collisions as vehicles pull onto narrow Olive from Black and Bozeman streets, plus a danger to bicyclists and pedestrians. Parked cars block views of oncoming traffic speeding past. Black Olive (B.O.) seeks to add two more traffic points to and from a parking garage within a very small block. It is just too small a building area to add this much traffic to heavily traveled narrow streets. Street parking on Olive, Black and Bozeman streets is used by city employees working at 20 East Olive, post office employees, ACE Hardware employees, other downtown employees, bank employees, residents of the Blackmore apartments, and many others. Residents call these streets their permanent home, some of whom have lived here for decades. Added on-street parking and increased traffic will adversely affect their quality of life, causing chaos. This is a good project for a better situated area downtown, such as with other similar tall buildings out of established residential neighborhoods. Or it is better suited to the new North 7tn corridor. This project is different from the traditional use of buildings downtown, and much higher and dense. It adds this extreme density to an already overflowing area and is shocking in size and scale. It should not be approved in its current location or it should be scaled down to two to three stories with added setbacks, buffer zones, and off street parking, protecting adjacent small homes on small lots squeezed in against it. A five or ten foot set back leaves a six story Page 2. mammoth building towering over houses and yards, providing no privacy or escape.. Some homes are literally only a few feet away. Proper transitions in the heights of buildings in this area are required. Further, a building this size blocks light, sun and sky from current residents. And the design is not compatible with other buildings in the area, such as the Blackmore apartments, which was tastefully designed and utilized brick construction. It does not in anyway conform to the design of this historical neighborhood. The proposed B.O. project is unattractive, does not blend in with other existing construction, and is too massive up against the smaller residential homes it will tower over. There is no transition in heights from low to high. Just a towering mass of materials. The proposed party roof adds additional noise and light to a project that already brings in light pollution. If the project goes forward,the design must be changed in keeping with other buildings close by, including the brick structure of the Blackmore. And we all know that the developer's Element building was approved and then he made changes in the design and structure which were not approved. He promised one thing, then delivered another. Why are we trusting this beautiful, functional, precious area of downtown to someone who was unconcerned about creating a structure as it was approved? This project, if approved, will set a dangerous precedent in the downtown area. It will mar a beautiful, established area that is enjoyed by many. It has already driven some residents out, with more to follow. The developer may build as many massive structures as the city permits and then move on to another community, leaving our community negatively altered. As it stands, residential and commercial structures downtown are compatible. This building will irreversibly tip the balance and create driving and parking chaos. For these reasons the B.O. project must be reconsidered, moved to another location, scaled drastically back, or denied altogether: 1. Massive Scale. The sheer height and breadth of the building is different from what is already present in the area. It is incompatible with other buildings in the area, and is not the traditional use of buildings in the area. The structure is non-conforming to the neighborhood, and there is no transition from lower structures to higher structures. The height should be scaled back to 2 to 3 stories. 2. Dangerous Precedent. It would set a dangerous precedent in the downtown area if it is allowed to continue under the present plan because other massive buildings are currently being planned and will negatively affect additional residential areas. 3. Upsets the Balance. Currently the commercial buildings and residential homes downtown are compatible. This project changes that balance. It will mar a beautiful, established area that is enjoyed by many. Some have been forced out already. Page 3. 4. Unacceptable Design. The design is unacceptable and unattractive. It is unlike the design of other buildings in the neighborhood, and will not stand the test of time as the Blackmore building has. 5. Parking Issues. The area already has parking issues which will worsen, becoming more chaotic. The number of on-street parking spaces needed cannot be accommodated in that area so more underground parking is necessary to accommodate all the vehicles needed in the building. 6. Added Traffic. The issues of added traffic points in and out off narrow Olive and Black streets creates a dangerous situation, especially since Olive is a throughway with heavy, fast moving traffic patterns. 7. No Buffer. There is a negative effect on older, established neighborhoods where the project is abutted up against small homes with no reasonable buffers or set backs. Further, it blocks light, sun and sky for the residents already established there. It will also add unacceptable light pollution and noise. The lack of reasonable set backs and buffer zones make this project untenable as proposed. 9. Issues With the Developer. The developer's Element building was approved and then he made changes that were more than merely cosmetic without getting further approval. He promised one thing and delivered another. Thank you for hearing our voices and keeping development reasonable and rational in the downtown commercial and residential areas. Carolyn S. Parker 205 South Bozeman Avenue 406 579-2265 carolynbailey60@yahoo.com Please forward this letter to the Design Review Committee and Design Review Board, the City of Bozeman Dept. Of Community Development, the City Commissioners, and Agenda@Bozeman.net. Thank you.