HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-18-18 Public Comment - K. Powell (University Neighbors Association) - NCOD ReviewFrom:KPowell & S Griswold
To:Agenda
Cc:chris@bendonadams.com
Subject:[SENDER UNVERIFIED]University Neighbors Association Comments NCOD review
Date:Wednesday, July 18, 2018 2:21:52 PM
Attachments:UNA & NCOD Review 7-2018.docx
Hello Bozeman City Commission, city Staff and BendonAdams consulting
Attached is a letter from the University Neighbors Association (UNA) Board regarding the
NCOD review.
3/4 of UNA is in the NCOD and has and does make our older neighborhood more livable,preserves our character and has helped improve the neighborhood and bind it together.
You can read more about our neighborhood perspective on the NCOD and an overview for
other neighborhoods.
A healthy heart (of the city) is key to a healthy of community.
Kathy PowellPresident UNA
406-600-1164powellgriz@icloud.com
July 18, 2018 To: Mayor Cindy Andrus Deputy Mayor Chris Mehl Commissioners Terry Cunningham, Jeff Kraus, & I-Ho Pomeroy Community Development Director Mary Matsen Community Development Manager Chris Saunders Consultants of BendonAdams & Orion Planning & Design City Manager & Asst City Managers Andrea Surrat Chuck Winn & Anna Rosenberry Neighborhood Coordinator Tanya Andreasen RE: NCOD Review People in the University Neighbors Association (UNA) like their neighborhood. They like the character of their older neighborhood. They like the eclectic mix of homes from 1920’s to 70s with a few newer more modern homes. They like the camaraderie among neighbors. They like being next to MSU and walk ability to downtown, MSU & a grocery store. They like the big trees, the sidewalks, the street lights. The neighborhood has a sense of place, a cultural heritage. It is part of the HEART of Bozeman, its historic core. The NCOD is charged with protecting neighborhood character and preserving historic structures. It has worked. Many homes have been rehabilitated, reinvested in, cared for. There is a mix of older retirees, working adults, families with kids and MSU students and other renters. It is a neighborhood. UNA recently formed two Working groups - one for the NCOD and one for parking. Both groups met recently and both weighed in on the NCOD. The UNA Board has also weighed in on the NCOD review, as have other UNA neighbors. We have not had time to talk to all UNA neighbors but everyone who has weighed in supports keeping the NCOD. Without it, homes will be built according to just zoning standards and the building code with no consideration for the character that makes a neighborhood cohesive. Should the NCOD be tweaked? Most policies need some fine -tuning. One of the members of the UNA NCOD Working Group has worked on preserving neighborhood character & historic structures in several parts of the county, especially in the southern end of Portland OR. Her comments made a lot of sense to us. UNA’s recommendations are: 1. Inventory the NCOD – none has really been done since the 80’s. That inventory hired a consultant to train local people in how to do a proper inventory. That gets the work done and keeps costs down.
2. Develop criteria for architectural styles in NCOD area 3. Create a Pattern Book of these styles for residents and officials to use. 4. Train the Historic Preservation Board & or the Design Review Board to be knowledge based about the NCOD. If the Planning staff is uncomfortable dealing with the character side of the NCOD, give more authority to these boards to review building requests in the NCOD. Should certain neighborhoods be redefined into “Design Overlay Districts” as suggested in the 2015 KLJ and ARCHitecture trio? An interesting idea, pocket neighborhoods. But the concern here is increased confusion for residents & builders/remodelers as well as potential confrontation in areas between such pockets. Now which rules are required for this pocket? How would such districts interface with each
other? Who decides such areas? Who has the expertise to do this? How much time and money would be needed to create “Design Overlay Districts”? Instead gently tweak the NCOD. Don’t get rid of it. Sprawl is an issue but it can an only really be reduced if Gallatin County implements comprehensive zoning. The City needs to continue to support revitalization of our community. That means supporting the visual and beating heart of Bozeman – the neighborhoods in the NCOD. The NCOD is valued by the community as a whole. It is valued by residents living in the NCOD and it contributes immeasurably to our community’s unique identity and quality of life. Respectfully submitted, University Neighbors Assoc (UNA) Kathy Powell, President & UNA representative to Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC) 406-600-1164 powellgriz@icloudcom Jess Stillman, Vice President jess.stillman@gmail.com Pat Flaherty, Secretary flaherty.66@gmail.com