HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-17 Public Comment - D. Bronken - 4149 Clydesdale Court CUP for Cooperative HousingFrom:Chris Saunders
To:Agenda
Subject:Fwd: 4149 Clydesdale Court - File 17-469
Date:Monday, November 20, 2017 11:07:53 AM
Attachments:4149clydesdale.17-469.112017.docx
ATT00001.htm
Chris SaundersSent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Derek Bronken <dbronken@gmail.com>
Date: November 20, 2017 at 10:39:55 AM MSTTo: <csaunders@bozeman.net>
Subject: 4149 Clydesdale Court - File 17-469
Mr. Saunders,
Please find the attached letter regarding 4149 Clydesdale Court, File 17-469.
Best regards,Derek Bronken
Derek Bronken November 20, 2010
707 East Peach Street
Bozeman, Montana 59715
Mr. Chris Saunders
Community Development Manager
Bozeman, Montana
4149 Clydesdale Court File 17-469
Dear Mr. Saunders,
I have been made aware of the application for a conditional use permit at 4149 Clydesdale
Court, within Baxter West subdivision. As a Bozeman-native and lifelong resident, I feel
compelled to weigh-in.
Bozeman is experiencing a sea-change growth cycle. Nearly everything stands to benefit from
this profound interest in our unique community. As a business-owner, I’ve experienced
significant sales growth. As a homeowner, I’ve enjoyed ascending equity. As an individual, I’ve
benefitted from a refinement in quality-of-life, the likes of which are indeed rare, for a town of
our size. However, with every cyclical change, beneficial or otherwise, a balance must be
maintained. With the good, inevitably comes compromise. One of the most-notable of said
compromises, is the inability of some members of our community to maintain financial position
in a residential boom. As I’m sure you’re aware, Bozeman’s median home price has crested
$350,000 (more than $100,000 greater than the next highest market (Missoula)). The
unfortunate fallout of this metric, involves individuals and families, some whom have been
Bozeman residents for years, if not lifetimes, are all of the sudden priced-out. In-turn, this lends
itself to county and state growth; as indirect beneficiaries of Bozeman’s growth, our bedroom
communities have experienced a similar and proportionate windfall. Those whom are no-
longer in a position to remain in Bozeman or in a domicile or neighborhood to which they’ve
become accustomed, are forced to look elsewhere. Moreover, it is not a citizen’s right to force
a change or exception to law, simply because the result is convenient and/or desired. The
unfortunate truth is, life is unfair and in these unprecedented times, it’s more-important than
ever to maintain our standards. If a single-family can’t afford our pinnacle market-prices for a
home in one of our municipality’s most in-demand neighborhoods, it doesn’t mean they can
pool funds with another family of same size and double their purchasing power. The very-
principle defies the foundation of our zoning laws. Laws that dictate, if said families desire to
cohabitate, they must find legal means of doing so. If they cannot, they must find housing
affordable to each family, individually. It is not the burden of the municipality nor HOA, in
good-standing, to manipulate laws or bylaws to make way for any family with a desire to be a
part of any neighborhood.
In closing, if we begin to issue CUPs to any individual, entity, or corporation that is priced out of
a desired location, we stand to threaten the very institution that is driving our community’s
growth. We cannot afford to erode our foundation, simply because a family or families cannot
meet the requirements of city/county zoning and or market-dictated financial demands.
It’s not a matter of humanity, it’s a matter of economics.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Regards,
Derek Bronken