HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-25-17 Public Comment - M. Fiebig - Residential Infill, Density, Walkable_Bikeable SpacesFrom:Michael Fiebig
To:Agenda
Subject:Support for Residential Infill, Density, and Walkable/Bikeable Spaces
Date:Sunday, September 24, 2017 10:59:02 PM
Dear City Commission,
My wife and I have been residents of downtown Bozeman for the last 9 years, moving here for
work from Missoula. The home that we live in is the first one that we've ever owned: A 106-year old, 700 square foot railroad bungalow. We love living downtown due to Bozeman's
walkability, bikability, public spaces and vibrancy. We have neighbors of all ages and means,most of whom still live and work in Bozeman.
I realize that the city is currently considering the Black Olive development, and that
development has been a heated topic in town lately.
I would ask the the Commission please consider why young(ish) professionals such asourselves live and raise families here, and what conditions will help maintain a vibrant,
dynamic town for those of moderate means:
Density and Infill - Infill keeps mountain towns vibrant and affordable, it provides
businesses with customers and employees in jobs. It limits sprawl and traffic, providesaffordable housing and a tax base for public works. "Mother-in-law" suites, daylight
basements, and detached apartments provide housing for students, visitors, youngprofessionals, couples and others, keeping older neighborhoods active with people of
diverse ages and economic means. They also afford younger, working class residents anauxiliary income from their home, hopefully allowing them to stay in Bozeman. Finally,
it keeps us all interacting, which in this time when it is all too easy to live in a bubble oflike-minded people.
Vibrant Culture - bike trails, walking trails, parks, the library, downtown businesses,schools and public art are things that this town cherishes. Let's hang on to them. Infill
provides the tax base, constituency and user-groups to do so. The way to stopBozeman's historic neighborhoods from becoming monocultures of older, wealthier,
residents who might only live here part of the year is to keep it affordable andinteresting to younger, working class individuals. Less driving is also good for people
and good for the environment that we all live in. People invest their time and money andtalents into downtown because it's close, they can afford it, and it draws like-minded
people invested in downtown. I'm afraid that losing those people would cause a chainreaction of sorts.
Public Spaces and Open Spaces - Bozeman and Gallatin Country are severely in needof an open space bond. We have some of the best agricultural land in the state, and we're
allowing it to be converted to dispersed homes, condos and businesses. Density can payfor an open space bond - and if we want to preserve agricultural lands, we are going to
have to pay and/or institute zoning beyond where it currently stops. I would prefer both.As mentioned above, it can also help to provide affordable places to live in downtown,
as most people are moving west of 19th Street in order to be able to afford to own ahome, apartment or condo.
Bozeman is not going to stop growing. There is no turning back the clock to "save Bozeman."The only way to create the future that most residents want is to grow in an intelligent way,
incentivizing the values that we want to see in Bozeman. Please maintain a vibrant urban core
by supporting residential density and infill. It will not be the same Bozeman that we have now,but we cannot have that no matter what. It will however be better than an empty husk of an
urban core, surrounded by traffic and sprawl.
I have no stake in Black Olive, nor do I know much about the details of the project. To be
sure, the devil is in the details, and those details need to work for the city and its neighbors. Isupport the project though because I think that we need infill projects such as Black Olive
downtown in order to keep our city vibrant.
Thank you for considering this perspective. There is a lot riding on what you all decide in the
coming years.
Sincerely,
Mike Fiebig
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Michael FiebigPersonal: fiebigmi@gmail.com
Work: mfiebig@americanrivers.orgC: 406.600.4061