HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-24-17 Public Comment - C. Parker - Black Olive March 22, 201 I MAR 2 111 d
DEPAHl N1E.ldl OF
Carolyn S. Parker C0M Nil UN1-fY DEVL_LOPM_ENT
PO BOX 1945
Bozeman, MT 59771
Re: Black Olive Project and my home at 205 South Bozeman Avenue, SP Application number
16432
Dear City Commission:
I have owned a home at 205 South Bozeman Avenue for 24 years, and it is directly affected by
the proposed Black Olive project. If built as proposed, it will block out light from my backyard
and nothing will grow. It is also ji,st a few feet from the back door. Banks of windows will face
my house,just feet away.
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.
An older neighbor who lives on South Black has been hit by cars twice while trying to cross the
street. He now only walks around the block without crossing any streets. My friend, Vicky, was
hit in front of the post office by a careless driver while crossing in a cross walk. Traffic and
parking are a problem downtown already and the Black Olive project will only add more chaos
and confusion to the downtown area. There are too few spaces for all the competitive drivers
looking for spots. Those who try to parallel park in front of the post office to get their mail or
mail packages have difficulty and sometimes it is dangerous, as drivers won't wait while
someone is backing into a space, even if there is a space.
My husband and I have had our vehicles side swiped twice each while parked overnight on the
street near our house. Once I needed expensive body work. I have almost been hit unloading
things from my car in front of the house. People fly around the corner off Olive and don't slow
down for parallel parkers or anyo•ie opening their vehicle doors. There are too many people
crowding the area. The last thing we need is a gigantic development with too few parking spaces
for the residents and shops, and more traffic.
Olive is narrow and when there are parked cars on both sides (as is the norm) and added snow
against the curbs, it is impossible for two cars to pass each other.
This Black Olive proposed development borders older, established historical residential
neighborhoods which are severely affected in many 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
�J ' L.MAR 24 2017 _JL)
Page 2. DL[)Ahl iviLr�f OF
C.OMMUNIIY DEVEI-OPMENf
to bicyclists and pedestrians. Parked cars block views of oncoming traffic speeding past. Black
Olive (B.O.) seeks to add 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 additional chaos.
This is a good project for a better situated area, such as with other similar tall buildings out of
established residential neighborhoods. Or it is better suited to the new North 7th corridor. This
project is different from the traditional use of buildings downtown, and much higher and denser.
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. A five or ten foot set back leaves a six story
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
Page 3. MAR 2 4 2017
NPARffvli=V OF
tip the balance and create additional driving and parking chaos. COMMJN{fY DEVELOPMENT
For these reasons the B.O. project must be denied.
Thank you for hearing our voices and keeping development reasonable and rational in the
downtown commercial and residential areas so that we can all live in harmony with each other.
Carolyn S. Parker
205 South Bozeman Avenue
406 579-2265
carolynbailey60@yahoo.com