HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-17 Public Comment - T. Marcinko - Black OliveTim and Kathy Marcinko
1216 S 3rd Ave., Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 600-5096 office@bridgerphoenix.com
April 3, 2017 E-MAIL TRANSMITTAL
Sent: April 3, 2017
e-mail: agenda@bozeman.net
Bozeman City Commissioners Pages Transmitted: 3
City of Bozeman
20 East Olive Street
Bozeman, MT 59715
Subject: Black Olive Site Plan
Comments from Cursory Review of File Documents
Dear Commissioners,
Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns regarding the proposed
development at Black and Olive. With regards to my historical perspective and interest
in the development of downtown Bozeman, allow me to provide the following bio: I
moved to the Gallatin Valley in 1975; I have lived in downtown Bozeman since 1978 at
residences no farther from downtown Main St. than my current residence at 1216 S 3rd
Ave.; I have worked in downtown Bozeman as an engineer since 1987 at the following
business addresses 15 S Tracy, 105 W Main (2nd floor Baxter Hotel) and 211 N Grand
Ave. Between 1993 and 1995, I was part owner of the 2nd floor of the Baxter Hotel,
during which time I was the vice-president of the Baxter Home Owners Association. In
1997, my wife and I purchased the commercial property at 211 N Grand Ave. on which
we have managed and maintained the Inverness Professional Building.
In July 2015, I wrote a letter to the City of Bozeman addressing my concerns regarding
the proposed construction details contained within the Northside Lofts Master Site Plan
on West Lamme St. Many of the concerns that I expressed on that massive
development apply to the proposed Black and Olive development as well. While I
understand that progress within the downtown business district is eminent, the
magnitude of the proposed project is startling. Unfortunately, based upon my cursory
review of the file documents, it appears that the developers utilized every available
option within the city’s standards to design the largest building possible with the
minimum amount of parking and landscaping. This goal of this approach is based
upon maximizing profitability for the new owners at the eventual expense of the
surrounding commercial and residential property owners.
I offer the following comments regarding proposed construction details contained
within the Black Olive Site Plan:
Letter to Bozeman City Commissioners
Review Comments on Black Olive Site Plan
April 3, 2017 Page 2
The Development Review Staff Report prepared for the April 3, 2017 indicates that
the project is in conformance with the Bozeman Design Guidelines for Historic
Preservation and the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District site plan criteria
for the following:
o Building location and maximum height and setbacks
o Building Character
While much of the public comment has been presented against the proposed Black
Olive project; it seems that the City Commissioners need to address some basic
design components contained within the Bozeman Design Guidelines for Historic
Preservation and the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District. As long as the
site plan criteria contained within the Guidelines allows for these buildings to be
developed at the perimeter of the B-3 zoning district adjacent to the residential
districts, then these issues will be questioned over and over again with future
proposed developments. I recommend that the city possibly look at altering the
design criteria for those future developments proposed to be constructed at the
perimeter of the B-3 zoning district adjacent to the residential districts to create a
step down building mass and height approach that better transitions into the
residential district.
The number of parking spaces allotted for the proposed number of commercial and
residential tenants appears to woefully inadequate. This inadequacy stems from the
city’s design standard of one space required for one residential unit. The fact that
the residential unit does not differ from a one bedroom unit or a three bedroom unit
does not make sense. While it is a great ideology that living within the downtown
district will promote less driving, the reality is that people will still own vehicles that
will need to be parked somewhere. Therefore, many of the three bedroom
apartments will still require parking spaces for two to three vehicles, not one.
During the almost 40 years that I have lived in the downtown Bozeman area where
my daily commute was either to the university to obtain my engineering degree or
to my downtown offices, I walked or rode my bike as much as reasonably possible
even during the coldest of winters with studded tires. That being said, I still had a
truck and a car parked at our house and as our two kids grew up they also added
two vehicles to our lot. I would say that our family is fairly typical for an active
Bozeman family.
While the whole concept of encouraging less dependency upon our vehicles is great
via car sharing or Uber type services, it still does not recognize that people will still
own a vehicle for general use. The majority of people who move to Bozeman are not
here only to enjoy are historic downtown living. They moved here to explore all the
amazing adventures that Montana has to offer (biking, hiking, boating, hunting
skiing, etc.), which means they will need to have a space to park their vehicle. It is
Letter to Bozeman City Commissioners
Review Comments on Black Olive Site Plan
April 3, 2017 Page 3
for that reason that eliminating fifteen parking spaces because of five car share
spaces does not make any sense.
The burden of insufficient required parking will unnecessarily be absorbed by the
neighboring community.
Allowing these exemptions for parking also seems to conflict with the City’s desire
to make Downtown Bozeman more accessible for visiting and shopping. The
construction of the Black Olive project will result in increased parking congestion
closer to Main Street.
Therefore, I request that the Commissioners reject the current application. Thank you
for allowing me to voice just a few of my concerns for the construction of the Black
Olive project.
Tim R. Marcinko