HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-01-19 Public Comment - C. Terry - Gallatin Green Boulevard ProposalFrom:Danielle Garber
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: Westlands project objection
Date:Monday, July 01, 2019 9:42:30 AM
Danielle Garber | Associate Planner, Community Development
City of Bozeman | 20 East Olive St. | P.O. Box 1230 | Bozeman, MT 59771
P: 406.582.2272 | E: dgarber@bozeman.net | W: www.bozeman.net
The update to the Bozeman Community Plan is underway. Help shape the future
at www.bozeman.net/communityplan.
From: crystal terry <jchterry@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2019 9:40 PM
To: Danielle Garber <DGarber@BOZEMAN.NET>
Subject: Westlands project objection
My name is Crystal Terry. We live directly across from the project under discussion at 2477Gallatin Green Blvd.
We believe that this is not the right area for this project. Here are our reasons why in regardsto specific criteria outlined in BMC.
A. 6. Conformance with the city design provisions of article 4, including:
a.) transportation facilities and access: 1.) the impact of proposal on the existing and anticipated traffic and parking conditions:
At any given time, this whole street is lined with existing vehicles on both sides of the road.
There is not enough parking area for the vehicles that multi use buildings with store fronts willbring. Plus there is another project on Gallatin Green called the Gallatin Green Condos. This
street cannot handle the traffic it has now and definitely cannot handle two more hugeresidential and mixed use buildings.
2.) pedestrian and vehicular ingress, egress and circulation including:
a.) Design of the vehicular circulation systems to assure that pedestrians and vehiclescan move safely and easily both within the site and between properties and activities within
neighborhood area:
Because the streets are already lined with existing vehicles on a very narrow road, if twovehicles are traveling in opposite directions, somebody has to wait where there is a drive way
or intersection so the other on-coming vehicle can pass. When there are huge snow piles thatalso line the road, this makes parking even more difficult and passing dangerous.
People from all over this neighborhood and around the area, walk their dogs around the entirearea around the proposed site. Even adding parking spaces will be a danger to these people
and their pets as they walk past the entrance to this site. The three story apartment complexesand two story condos that went in to the north in last 1.5 years has brought so many speeding
vehicles down Gallatin Green. Our neighbors car was totaled a few months ago from a hit andrun driver at midnight. They were parked right behind the car my son drives. They were hit
from behind. The cars wheels happened to be turned in so it was pushed up onto the curb,
rather than into the back of our car. We have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am that my parentsbought for our teenage drivers. Had this car been totaled too, we wouldn’t have been able to
replace it as we cannot afford a car payment.
3.) unloading and loading areas
Given that the storefronts will be parallel to Gallatin Green, this will clog up the street evenmore as vehicles drop people off in front so they can then go find a parking spot.
b.) community Design and element provisions
1.) lot and block: see my explanation under 7a & 7b. 7.) Conformance with the project design provisions of article 5, including:
a.) comparability with, and sensitivity to the immediate environment of the site and theadjacent neighborhoods and other approved development relative to architectural design,
building mass, neighborhood identity, landscaping, historical character, orientation of thebuildings on the site and visual integration:
Behind this project, there is a small park and walking trails. On all sides of the project
proposal, there are residential housing. For safety reasons, aesthetic reasons and current designof neighborhood, this should never have been zoned B2. When I purchased my house 5 years
ago, we were told that across the street was deemed wetlands and behind was a park sonothing would go there. The full view of the bridger mountain range was absolutely beautiful.
This is why we bought this house. Over the years, condos and huge apartment complexes havegone up to the north and east of us, leaving me with only a small view of the mountains. Now,
you want to put stores there and 3 story buildings? This will take away from my view,drastically drop my property value and completely obstruct any sunlight from coming in.
There is no other neighborhood in Bozeman that has stores plopped right in the middle of theneighborhood.
b.) Design and arrangement of the elements of the plan(e.g., buildings, circulation, open
space and landscaping etc.) so that the activities are integrated with the organizational schemeof the community, neighborhood, and other approved development and produce an efficient ,
functionally organized and cohesive development.
Three story, mixed use buildings are not going to make the street safer and traffic flow moreefficient. It is going to be detrimental to current design of this whole neighborhood. Nothing
should go in this area, but especially stores.
d.) landscaping including open areas, pedestrian use and preservation of naturalvegetation.
This park and this lot of natural vegetation was here long before the land that was turned into a
park, went in on Kimberwicke and Ferguson. This new park is just one big rectangle of newlandscape and sod laid down. Put this project with stores there. Ferguson is a thru street which
allows for more traffic that does not interfere with safety issues on Gallatin Green as thestreets on Ferguson are wider. Leave this open space on Gallatin Green for pedestrian use and
preservation of natural vegetation full of natural grass and tall, mature trees.
8. c.) if the development is adjacent to an approved public park, or public open space area,
have provisions been made in the plan to avoid interfering with public access to and use ofthat public area?
No. You are taking away open space that is enjoyed by so many people and pets. Plus taking
away all natural, mature vegetation.
B) review authority determining the plan for detriment to the health, safety or welfare of thecommunity:
I (Crystal) am in a wheelchair with only one leg. My other leg was removed 10 years ago to
save my life. I am in my house a lot as I do not have money to build a ramp for my wheelchairor pay my neighborhood to approve my plans to build one nor can I afford a wheelchair van.
So my only way to see and experience the mountains and the sun is through this tiny view Ihave left. With being confined to home, I suffer from depression. Although I am on
medication, each day is still a struggle. I enjoy the sun and need it to make it through the day. Ialso enjoy watching people walking their dogs around the park and on the trails. Putting up 3
story buildings on this narrow street will make the houses directly across the street from theproject proposal, like my house, feel completely closed in. In the back of our houses is another
row of houses separated by an alleyway. No view or sun from that direction either. No sun, no view, no watching people walk their dogs or children playing at the park or on the
sidewalk in front of my house(due to increased traffic) will be detrimental for my depressionthat I will not be able to overcome. Please don’t do this. My children and husband do not want
to lose their mom and wife.
We strongly urge you not to approve this project.
Sincerely,
Crystal and John Terry, homeowners and occupants of 2477 Gallatin Green Blvd, and ourchildren, Hunter Terry and Luke Terry