HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-09-18 Public Comment - R. Zimmer - Park Place Annexation and ZoningFrom:Robin Crough
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: it"s time to switch from words to action on frontage road path
Date:Monday, April 09, 2018 10:31:18 AM
Importance:High
-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph Zimmer [mailto:RalphZimmer@mcn.net]
Sent: Monday, April 9, 2018 10:15 AM
To: Cyndy Andrus <CAndrus@BOZEMAN.NET>; Chris Mehl <CMehl@BOZEMAN.NET>; Jeff Krauss
<Jkrauss@BOZEMAN.NET>; I-Ho Pomeroy <IPomeroy@BOZEMAN.NET>; Terry Cunningham
<TCunningham@BOZEMAN.NET>
Cc: Andrea Surratt <ASurratt@BOZEMAN.NET>; Martin Matsen <MMatsen@BOZEMAN.NET>; Chris Saunders
<csaunders@BOZEMAN.NET>; Craig Woolard <CWoolard@BOZEMAN.NET>; Greg Sullivan
<gsullivan@BOZEMAN.NET>; Robin Crough <RCrough@BOZEMAN.NET>
Subject: it's time to switch from words to action on frontage road path
Importance: High
Monday, April 9, 2018
Mayor Andrus and City Commissioners,
This email is related to your consideration this evening of annexing the property at the northwest corner of the
frontage road and Nelson Road. That property relates directly to the proposed separated shared-use path along the
Bozeman to Belgrade frontage road.
The Commission has SPOKEN on its support of that path. It adopted the current PROST (Parks, Recreation,
Open Space, and Trails) plan calling for that path. About a year ago, the Commission adopted the City's TMP
(Transportation Master Plan) calling for that path. Within the last year, the Commission authorized its PTS,
BABAB, and RPAB advisory boards to become Associated Partner Organizations to the GAP (the Galla10 Alliance
for Pathways) whose primary objective is to promote that path. (In addition, within the last year the Montana
Department of Transportation Belgrade to Bozeman Frontage Road Corridor Study recommended construction of
that path.)
Words are not enough. In considering this annexation request, the
Commission now has the opportunity to take ACTION towards
implementing the path.
The Nelson Road to the Valley Center Spur railroad crossing would be
a key component of the planned path. Because of constraints imposed
by the BNSF/MRL railroads, the path has to be on the north side of the highway. For that to happen, the path will
have to be at least partially located along the extreme southern edge of the entire parcel being considered for
annexation. It would be very wise and desirable for the Commission to somehow obligate the owners of the
property in question to accommodate that planned path as a condition of annexation.
I understand the Commission would have the opportunity to secure that obligation subsequently as a condition
of site plan approval. However, I see two disadvantages to relying on the site approval process. First, it delays
securing a firm commitment until sometime in the future and the absence of such a existing commitment might
cause funding problems for the path in the interim
period. Second, I assume the parcel owners conceivably might
choose to initially develop only say the east half of the parcel and thus there might not be the opportunity to get the
needed commitment over the entire southern edge of the parcel being annexed.
I know the fact the northern edge of the highway easement lies slightly south of the northern edge of the
railroad right-of-way leaves a narrow strip of land between the parcel and the highway and this complicates the issue
but I have faith that you will find a way to overcome that complication. Bear in mind that strip of land is too narrow
for any development other than the highway and/or the proposed path to occur there.
I also recognize that we are not yet able to identify exactly how much land along the south edge of the parcel
would be needed for a path (5'' to 25') might be needed, but I have faith the City could come up with some creative
way of stating a commitment that would be acceptable to both the City and the owner. For example, it seems to me
that a provision obligating the owner to accommodate a separated shared-use path along the extreme southern edge
might suffice. (Note that just across the street on Nelson Road the City and MDT three years ago entered into a
Memorandum of Understanding obligating MDT to accommodate a path along the southern edge of that property
without a statement of the path's specific location .)
Relative to the path, the Commission has already talked the talk. Now it's time for the Commission to begin
walking the walk.
Ralph
Ralph W. Zimmer
cc: Andrea Surratt
Marty Matson
Chris Saunders
Craig Woolard
Greg Sullivan
Robin Crough
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