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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-29-19 Public Comment - M. Henry - Recovery HouseFrom:Mike Henry To:Agenda Cc:Martin Matsen Subject:Recovery House in Figgins Subdivision Concerns Date:Monday, July 29, 2019 3:50:27 PM Dear Deputy Mayor Mehl, & Marty Matsen, Through the Bozeman Daily Chronical, I recently became aware of plans for an addict recovery house in the Figgins neighborhood. I am shocked that there has not been any posting at the proposed property on the corner of Westridge and Graf, nor any notification to neighborhood residents of the plan. For better or worse, having an addict recovery house has the potential to significantly affect the neighborhood and the community needs to be involved in the decision process. While there certainly is a need for recovery homes in Bozeman, it seems like there is a serious lack of judgement with the proposed location. Located on the corner of Westridge & Graf, the house sits in close proximity to both Morningstar Elementary School and Sacajawea Middle School. The sidewalk in front of the house is a main corridor for children walking and biking to either school. According to studies, sober living home programs do increase the rate of abstinence significantly. However, recovery rates are still only 40- 70%. Potentially having 4-7 residents that relapse seems an undue risk to neighbors and the students of Morningstar and Sacajawea. Lastly, the Figgins neighborhood and proposed location for the addict recovery house is zoned R-1. Per the chronicle article, in order for the house just to break even it would need 12 residents. Having 12 adult residents along with a house supervisor certainly does not qualify as “residential single-household low density district”. In addition to other issues, there simply is not enough parking. During the school year Westridge Dr. is already very congested with traffic and having 13 additional vehicles parked at or near the corner of Westridge and Graf would only add to existing traffic issues. To summarize, while an addict recovery house is certainly needed in Bozeman, the proposed location is not a good choice due to the proximity to two schools and zoning issues. Lastly, the residents of the neighborhood need to be involved in the process. Sincerely,   Mike Henry