HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-24-17 Public Comment - BPAG - Final ADU RecommendationsADU Recommendations Final Draft, Jan 24, 2017
BPAG ADU Subgroup
Celebrate Bozeman's Heritage, Guide Its Future Page 1
January 24, 2017
To: Mayor Carson Taylor
Deputy Mayor Cynthia Andrus
Commissioners Jeff Kraus, Chris Mehl, & I-Ho Pomeroy
Community Development Director Martin Matson
Community Development Policy and Planning Manager Chris Saunders
Community Development Senior Planner Tom Rogers
City Manager Chris Kukulski
From: Bozeman Preservation Advocacy Group (BPAG)
Re: Recommendations for ADU Amendments to the UDC
Bozeman’s historic character is profound, amazingly intact, an incredible tourist
draw, and a value to the local community as a home to multi-generational
families and businesses. This heritage provides a physical beauty that almost
matches our mountains, provides major income from tourist dollars, and a place
for locals to walk, shop, raise their children, and work. In short, its success
benefits all. It is also not a stagnant place; it is changing in response to
economic drivers from different sources. This warrants restraint and
watchfulness as we move forward, or we will lose what makes Bozeman
appealing to so many.
As part of the process of updating the City's Unified Development Code,
revisions to the regulations for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are being
proposed as a mechanism for infill in the residential neighborhoods. At the City's
request, on January 20th the InterNeighborhood Council (INC) sent to the City
Commissioners and Staff a number of recommendations for changes and
additions to the regulations for ADUs. We endorse these INC recommendations,
and call attention to certain of them here because not only are they important for
all neighborhoods, they are crucial for the historic districts.
INC First Introductory paragraph:
The INC recognizes there are both benefits and concerns relating to ADUs in
Bozeman neighborhoods [lists attached to original INC document]. Although
more ADUs may help reduce sprawl to some extent, more ADUs also can harm
the livability of neighborhoods, especially single family residential areas and
historic districts.
BPAG supplementary information:
Double the density and you fundamentally change the character and fabric of any
neighborhood. Density is a crucial issue for both ADUs and short-term rentals in
ADU Recommendations Final Draft, Jan 24, 2017
BPAG ADU Subgroup
Celebrate Bozeman's Heritage, Guide Its Future Page 2
historic districts. More ADUs are not consistent with the character and fabric of
the historic districts.
INC Second Introductory Paragraph:
FIRST AND FOREMOST, any revisions to ADU regulations should be scrutinized
carefully with respect to their impact on residents and neighborhoods in R-1, R-S
and even R-2. We think it is essential to enforce and administer ADU regulations
effectively and consistently. To accomplish this, the city needs to staff
appropriately.
BPAG recommendation:
All new ADUs in residential neighborhoods within the boundaries of the
Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD) are required to receive
Certificates of Appropriateness. COAs certify that the proposed improvement
"has been found to be consistent with the character and fabric of the surrounding
neighborhood", as defined by the document "Guidelines for Historic Preservation
and the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District". We support the
recommendation of the INC "We think it is essential to enforce and administer
ADU regulations effectively and consistently [in the NCOD, in particular]. To
accomplish this, the city needs to staff appropriately. We share this concern.
Specific INC Recommendations:
INC on Type of ADU: In R-1 and R-S districts, ADUs should continue to be
allowed only "within primary structures" if the preliminary plat was approved
before Jan 1, 1997. ADUs should continue to be allowed "within primary
structures" and "above detached garages" if preliminary plats were approved
after Jan 1, 1997
BPAG recommendation:
The dependence of these rules on date of preliminary plat approval is crucial for
the preservation of the character and fabric of the historic districts, We strongly
endorse the continuation of these rules on date of preliminary plat approval
relative to Jan 1, 1997.
INC on Aesthetics: Any "detached above garage" ADU should complement the
primary structure, and blend into the architectural character of the neighborhood,
especially in historic districts. It should also be subordinate to the primary
structure (smaller).
ADU Recommendations Final Draft, Jan 24, 2017
BPAG ADU Subgroup
Celebrate Bozeman's Heritage, Guide Its Future Page 3
BPAG recommendation:
Our reasons for concern, in the context of "detached above garage" accessory
structures over garages and the Guidelines for the NCOD, are easy to
understand from the attached document "Historic Preservation & ADUs in our
Neighborhood within Bozeman's Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District".
Over a year ago, in his Bozeman Daily Chronicle guest editorial of December 3,
2015, respected former Historic Preservation Officer Derek Strahn called
attention to "What started a few years ago with the occasional approval of
[NCOD] incompatible new construction projects and unmerited demolitions within
Bozeman’s older neighborhoods." Again, as the INC recommended, we think it
is essential to enforce and administer ADU regulations effectively and
consistently. To accomplish this, the city needs to staff appropriately.
INC on Occupancy: Owner occupancy should be required in either the primary
structure or the ADU in ALL residential zoning districts, not just the current R-1
and R-S.
BPAG recommendation:
Bozeman has a long history of homeowners restoring and preserving their
historic properties at their own expense, which contributes to Bozeman's historic
character and vitality. Owner occupancy tends to encourage care and
maintenance of historic properties. Owner-occupied dwelling units, in particular
in the form of ADUs within primary structures, encourage the restoration of larger
older homes for extended family and elder care use. Long-term rentals
encourage stability in neighborhoods.
Closing
In the Bozeman Daily Chronicle guest editorial cited above, Derek Strahn gave
us a prescient reminder: "If we are to truly progress, we must do everything in our
power to save the best of the past for future generations. Saving just a few key
landmarks or isolated historic districts is not enough—we must preserve their
broader neighborhood contexts as well. Only in this way can our community
continue to live up to its inspiring slogan, “The Most Livable Place.”
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BPAG Subgroup on ADUs: Richard Brown, Richard Canfield, Lesley Gilmore,
Jane Klockman, and Jeanne Wilkinson