HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-17-17 Public Comment - K. Thane - Affordable Housing Ve-u6v T�
Affordable housing, or the lack there of, is an issue that cuts across the whole of
the Bozeman Community. Entangled in the hyper-growth that Bozeman and the
surrounding area is currently experiencing is the conundrum of providing shelter
at all levels —from homelessness to higher end homes. Understanding the
complex nature of the issue and realizing that there is no single solution, the
community needs creativity and thoughtfulness as well as introspection and an
examination of the history of Bozeman's housing ordinances in order to do the
issue justice.
The Community Affordable Housing Board suggests revising the Affordable
Housing Ordinance to make it a more effective tool to use in the City's efforts to
encourage the development of affordable housing. Additionally, CAHAB would
like the Commission to make changes to the Unified Development Code that
could have a direct impact on the production of affordable housing at all levels.
Attached to these comments is a list, previously submitted to the commission, of
items unanimously endorsed by CAHAB as areas that merit consideration.
Your Community Affordable Housing Advisory Board continues to welcome
engaging discussion in order to present advice and ideas that reflect the needs
and desires of the community and we look forward to continued involvement in
the process of addressing the housing needs of the community.
CAHAB Supported changes to the UDC for all green field development to provide
options for affordability
1. Remove lot size requirements
2. Remove lot coverage restrictions to maximize lot coverage and ensure
land is developed efficiently and has high density
3. Lower parking requirements.
a. Studio and one bedroom require 1 parking space
b. Two and three bedroom require 2 parking spaces
4. Eliminate onsite parking if street parking meets minimum standards
5. Accessory Dwelling Units
a. Allow ground floor ADUs
b. Remove size restrictions on ADUs (both square footage and
number of bedrooms)
c. Allow more than one ADU per parcel
6. Cottage housing — Remove the following restrictions
a. Clusters of 4 units
b. Maximum of 24 units
c. Architectural details (too specific)
d. Common Open Space Requirements
7. Cottage housing — allow roof top decks to count towards private open
space.
8. Affordable housing ordinance / manual
a. Remove from the AH manual any reference to minimum house
square footage
b. Remove requirement that affordable homes must have a similar
mix of bedrooms as market rate homes in the development
c. Remove the requirement that affordable homes must be
designed, built, and landscaped similar to market rate homes
9. Affordable Housing Ordinance
a. Allow all types of housing to be counted toward meeting the
goals (town homes, Condos, etc.)
10. North 71h / Midtown. Implement a height increase or have no height
restriction