HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-27-17 Public Comment - R. Irish & Family- SoBo LoftsDear Important City People, Commissioners & Mayor,
I have attached an important letter in why I do not approve of the SOBO project. I read the
article in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, and there is no way I can pay the $8576.00 to file an
appeal; this is an undue burden, but my democratic, and civil rights should be that I should be
heard...hence I am attaching this letter.
Once again, I thank you for hearing my concerns,
Renee Irish and family
March 26, 2017
Dear City Commissioners, Mayor, and Important Bozeman City People:
I am writing this letter to you today to implore you not to let the SOBO project move forward as is. The
reason is that it will negatively impact my family, our quality of life, and our place of residence, (the
opposite corner of the block), in several ways. Also, I cannot pay a fee of $8576; an undue burden on
my democratic rights to be heard. I also would love to go to the meeting Monday night but cannot due
to work then a night class I am currently taking to better me and the family; tonight I have an exam.
We love Bozeman. We bought our house 16 years ago, and have worked very hard to preserve our
historic home over the years, and are continuing to do so. Our house is from the 1880’s, and although it
has been modified a few times from its original state, it has done so with integrity and in keeping with
the original historic charm of our neighborhood; we are the blue/gray Victorian farmhouse on the
opposite corner, with historic carriage house on the ally.
We are not opposed to something being built where the ugly dilapidated Pizza Hut currently stands; in
fact we encourage a beautiful new structure; preferably a single dwelling, historic looking home! Since
the odds of that are slim, cause who ever owns the property wants to make a ridiculous profit, I realize a
single dwelling probably doesn’t fly. Well, the proposed 41 apartment unit building, with commercial
space does not fly well with us; so a compromise needs to be reached.
The number one reason, the proposed 41 unit apartment style building does not work is due to the
shear number of people who will be living in that space. It does not work! It does not work, because it
will very directly impact that small space in a very negative way. The first way, is the number of people
crammed into that small space. Honestly, excuse my French, it will be a total shit show…it will turn into
a frat house style dwelling across from the “bar-muda traiangle”; and that does absolutely no one any
good, the police, or the neighbors.
Secondly, the number of vehicles and cars, and traffic will not work. There already is a serious parking
problem there now. I know, they have proposed to have spaces and some underground parking, but it
is not enough; there already is a parking problem there now! This proposed unit will not only severely
add to the problem, where will all the commercial space customers park? When, I bought the house 16
years ago, the bars were there, and I had to deal with the problems, that brings like drunken people
passed out on your lawn, and red solo cups, and drunken people taking out your side view mirrors, and
hitting your car. With the proposed number of people to live there now, plus we all know, the units will
not be affordable; so most likely double the number of people proposed to live there squished into that
space is not ok. It will be a disaster.
Not only the shear number of people, but we have children. They already cannot circle the block on
their bikes unless I am right there with them, due to drunken people from the bars, shattered glass, and
people driving way to fast on all streets surrounding our block. With this proposed dorm style building; I
know this will get a lot worse and very negatively impact my family and our home! Again, we do not
oppose a home or building, just not one of this scale with that many people living there. Please think
about it! One family or two families, like townhomes or duplexes would be ideal for that spot, or even
up to 10 people but 41 + people will not work. When was the last time you walked that half a block?
You really need to visit the spot and see what I am talking about. While you are there, you will also see
all of the destruction, broken alcohol bottles, trash, litter, and the parking problem I am talking about.
Especially visit on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening! I honestly cannot see the benefit of having 41
+ people live in that spot; except to the wallet of the person who owns the building; for everyone else, I
see a lot of negative impacts. You must weigh the pros and cons of a building proposed to house that
many people next to three bars, in our historic conservation overlay district! The cons definitely
outweigh the pros! Please seriously think about this.
If very nice condominiums, like NEBO, where there are garages underneath, and a nice townhouse
above, that would work, with a very few families living there; that would bring in more money than a
single residence, and yet it would not have a negative affect on that space, and not as bad with parking
and traffic. The families there would also take pride in their new home and take better upkeep of the
property verses a dorm-like building where people did not care.
Other issues I have with this proposed project is the following: in inadequate traffic study that does not
mention, 7Th Avenue, Olive, the ally behind my house. Babcock is one way! How the heck are 41 + cars
going to exit and leave the building, especially when there already is a traffic problem surrounding this
block? My ally is a crazy tight T shape exiting onto the streets from a hill in all directions. The poor City
Garbage man, already has a challenge getting our garbages; how is the traffic going to be managed
through these areas pouring out from the building? The site lines are already horrible.
Another issue I have is the serious lack of collaborative community involvement in important decisions
that affect our lives every day. Through, misleading and confusing notification and public comment
periods about “rezoning Midtown and North 7th” which actually means SOUTH Seventh/ Babcock and
CPHD! How is this even fair? How was this allowed to happen?
Alright, I have stated my grievances once again. I honestly love Bozeman, my children were born here,
and I am raising them here to be good citizens. I chose this historic conservation overlay district for a
reason. I love my house and property, so do a lot of people who stop and compliment our home and
gardens, and have noticed all the wonderful details we have done to our home over the past 16 years.
We take pride in our home and neighborhood. So, once again, I implore you not to let this proposed
SOBO project move forward as is. At the bare minimum, please scale the number of units way down.
Also, if you have not walked the entire proposed site and the entire block to actually see what I am
talking about, please do so. How can you vote on something in which you have not actually visited.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns, my family’s concerns, and those of my neighbors;
I appreciate it.
Sincerely,
The Irish Family
123 South Seventh Avenue
Bozeman, Montana 59715