HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-13-18 - Public Comment - A. Breuer - Van Winkle Stadium, detailed commentsFrom: Abigail Breuer
To: Courtney Johnson
Cc: Tanya Andreasen; "Swinehart, Todd"; Agenda
Subject: [SENDER UNVERIFIED]RE: [SENDER UNVERIFIED]Van Winkle Stadium- detailed comments
Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2018 8:51:34 AM
Dear Courtney,
Thank you for your response. I am summarizing the requests from the letter I sent yesterday below,
as they are somewhat buried in the text:
--Screening of field lighting, sound and activities from nearby homes via trees or other means, both
on District property and the boulevard. A row of boulevard trees would be possible along North 11th
in the vicinity of the Support Services lot, if the District were to extend irrigation to this location. I
imagine North 15th
Neighbors would like the same.
--Ensuring both new and existing facilities meet City sound ordinances.
--Screening of North 11th
and Support Services parking lots, along the east-west axis, as well as
north-south along North 11th
, as the turning of cars inside the lots is as prominent as their exit.
--Night exit from the Support Services parking lot to become one-way, onto Durston, as even with
wooden blinds I am keenly aware of the lights from all cars leaving the lot in evening hours.
--Extension of the BHS Parking District hours on both sides of campus until 10pm, in spite of the
additional cost to neighbors or the City of doing so.
--Ensuring the N 15th
entrance can accommodate bus use and bus parking. I am assuming the
failure of the turn-around area and stadium parking lot to accommodate fire trucks also means bus
use may also be difficult.
Please know I appreciate your and others help within the City and District to ensure the stadium is
the least onerous it can be, given the context into which it is being placed. Your work is really the
first time BHS neighbors may benefit from the Inter-local Agreement, and the opportunity for third-
party review of District plans.
I recognize that the comments I made about the District’s process last night are beyond the reach of
the City, yet very much wanted to make them part of public record.
Thanks for your considerable assistance,
Abigail
From: Courtney Johnson [mailto:CEJohnson@BOZEMAN.NET]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2018 10:49 AM
To: 'Abigail Breuer' <abreuer@3rivers.net>
Cc: Tanya Andreasen <TAndreasen@BOZEMAN.NET>; 'Swinehart, Todd'
<todd.swinehart@bsd7.org>; Agenda <agenda@BOZEMAN.NET>
Subject: RE: [SENDER UNVERIFIED]Van Winkle Stadium- detailed comments
Morning Abigail,
Thank you for providing comments regarding the Van Winkle Stadium Application, I will add your
comments to the application file.
This evening this informal application will go before Commission for application review and
comment to assist the Applicant with the preparation of their forthcoming formal site plan
application.
Here is the link for this evening’s Commission Agenda.
Many Thanks,
Courtney Johnson, AIA, NCARB
Senior Planner
City of Bozeman | 20 East Olive St. | P.O. Box 1230 | Bozeman, MT 59771
406.582.2289 | cejohnson@bozeman.net | www.bozeman.net
From: Abigail Breuer [mailto:abreuer@3rivers.net]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2018 10:30 AM
To: Agenda <agenda@BOZEMAN.NET>
Cc: Tanya Andreasen <TAndreasen@BOZEMAN.NET>; Courtney Johnson
<CEJohnson@BOZEMAN.NET>
Subject: [SENDER UNVERIFIED]Van Winkle Stadium- detailed comments
Dear City Commissioners:
I am glad to learn you are re-considering additional investment in the Bozeman Sports Park, and
wonder if your timing might mean the out-of-the-box suggestion for moving the new Van Winkle
Stadium to that location could be re-considered? I am attaching detailed comments on the Van
Winkle Stadium proposal, in the attachment. As the comments are lengthy, I am providing my first
page in the body of this email, so you can gain my perspective at a glance.
Given the District’s history of strong-arming its way into a reality with complete disregard for its mid-
town location and neighbors on the BHS campus, I provide specific comments on the Van Winkle
Stadium proposal detailed in the attachment. Yet, I believe the stadium relocation proposal to be
the nail-in-the-coffin for my once up-and-coming mid-town neighborhood. Given the District’s
regular disregard for the UDO and well-vetted planning principles along North 11th
Avenue, the
proposal solidifies the new role of neighboring properties as adjuncts to the District’s purposes and
activities, rather than private homes capable of retaining their own integrity. Essentially, the
stadium relocation guarantees that homes surrounding BHS will revert to rentals as the degree of
disturbance to neighboring properties resulting from the lack of Master Planning on the BHS campus
is already at untenable proportions.
Further, the Stadium is now the fourth Bozeman High School renovation project in which the District
has shown or described one version of events publically, pre-bond, yet executed another post-bond
without providing an opportunity for meaningful—or in two cases, any—public involvement. In all
three prior cases, the lack of transparency has resulted in ongoing, active infringement on
neighboring properties that would have been avoided through the use of standard planning
processes.
Neighbors’ request for a publically-vetted, inclusive Master Planning process—in which the District
has refused to engage—is an appeal to regain the ability to invest in our homes. In the past 2.5
years, I have seen the District propose a building, a road, and now a stadium across from my home.
BHS neighbors need to know that changes to the campus will no longer be made without the benefit
of transparency, proper impact identification, and accountability. We wish to understand the up-to-
date needs of our larger neighbor, be informed of planning processes in a timely and inclusive
manner that allows for meaningful participation, and find means to ensure that we are not caught by
surprise in a way that renders our own investment near the BHS campus null and void.
Moreover, avoiding the expense of water main relocation is the public rationale stated by the
District for the proposed relocation of the stadium. Given the fact that DRC review shows there are
electric line, sewer connection, gas main, and chemical contamination issues in relation to the
proposed stadium location, this rationale can no longer be claimed. I would like to see a proposal
for the stadium rebuilt in place, as was described to the public in over 65 outreach meetings pre-
bond, in numerous articles in the Chronicle, and in the video, still posted, on the District’s Future
High Schools website.
Thank you,
Abigail Breuer
502 N 11th
Avenue
Virus-free. www.avast.com
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