HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-18-17 Public Comment - J. Preston - UDC Update Subchapter 4BFrom:John Preston
To:Agenda
Subject:Subchapter 4B of NCOD
Date:Sunday, September 17, 2017 7:28:53 PM
Dear Bozeman City Commissioners,
I strongly urge you to NOT re-affirm Subchapter B of the Neighborhood ConservationOverlay District. I feel that these changes were made without adequate input from the citizens
of Bozeman, especially those that live in the neighborhoods most directly affected. Thesechanges will allow development that will greatly impact our community and they should not
be made without extensive public input. Bozeman is experiencing rapid growth and we onlyget one chance to do it right - rushing these changes through removes time and opportunity
for proper reflection. Are you willing to risk losing the wonderful character of the historicalneighborhoods by allowing new boxy high rise buildings to encroach on them? While infill is
a good goal, overfill would be a huge mistake. Let's slow down, allow for citizen input andinsure that Bozeman doesn't become another town that trades its character for profit for
developers.My wife and I recently obtained a Building Permit for a shop/studio in our backyard. Our
original intention was to build a one car garage with a studio above. We ran into designproblems because the new accessory building could not be taller than the principal building
(our house). This put us in conflict with the Unified Development Code and we were denied aCertificate of Appropriateness. We had to literally "go back to the drawing board." We were
forced to give up our desire for a garage and will now be building a one and one half storyshop/studio in order to comply with city codes. Our feeling was that the codes were in place
for good reason (to protect the character of the neighborhood) and that we had to alter ourplans in order to comply. It seems some developers and architects took a different approach in
2015 - they used their influence to change the codes that they did not like and that might limittheir profits. Is that an option available to Bozeman homeowners? I think we all know that
the answer is no. Do you think it is right that homeowners are made to comply with historicalcodes while developers have the power to have them changed. Is this the Bozeman that we
want to live in and that you want to govern?Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this very important issue. Please do the right
thing for Bozeman: do not make these code changes permanent without proper input from thecitizens of Bozeman.
John Preston409 S Bozeman Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715