HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-30-19 Public Comment - S. Lunden - HRDC Warming Center SiteDear Ms. Rosenberg, Mr. Matsen, Mr. Mehl, and City Commissioners,
As leaders of the city when making decisions, it is prudent that you look out for the
greater good of the community as a whole. You must look at the location and character
of neighborhood to see if a proposed project fits and makes sense. According to
Bozeman’s zoning rules, a change in zoning may not change or detract from the
character of the neighborhood. The proposed permit to change the zoning of the house
at 3025 Westridge Drive from R-1, to transitional housing in order to accommodate a
warming shelter would certainly change the character of the Figgins neighborhood.
Therefore, I have absolutely no trust in the city leadership for encouraging the HRDC to
buy the house on Westridge for a warming shelter. Furthermore, I have lost faith in the
HRDC for buying the house without researching its impact on the immediate community
or (as it was very evident from the meeting on 10/15) having a well organized plan and
contingencies for the warming center.
My spouse and I chose to live in the Figgins neighborhood 9 years ago to raise our
family due to it’s character as a family neighborhood with close proximity to an
elementary and middle school. One of my daughters currently walks by the house at
3025 Westridge Dr daily on her way to school, and my other one will in under two years.
I currently feel safe to run and walk in the neighborhood early in the morning and/or at
night. The proposed indefinite change to zoning of the home on 3025 Westridge to
accommodate the warming center, would not make me feel safe in my neighborhood.
According to police reports, there have been 80+ calls in the past year to HRDCs main
warming shelter, and calls to the emergency overflow shelter at Christ the King Lutheran
church. This increase in police calls would also alter the current character of the
Figgins neighborhood.
Moreover, the proposed HRDC shelter is less than 300 feet from and elementary
school, and is bordered on 2 sides by major thoroughfares used by children walking and
biking to school. Even without considering my above points on the character of the
Figgins neighborhood, the proximity to an elementary school and routes for children to
commute to schools alone should have made it glaringly obvious this would be a poor
site for the warming shelter. The HRDC rightfully accepts everyone regardless of their
crimes, including level I and II sex offenders, to stay in the shelter. Furthermore the
HRDC has said they are not responsible for guests if they leave. In this light it would
seem to be extremely naive to place a warming shelter close to so many children and
jeopardizing their safety. I find it very discouraging that people who live or work by other
HRDCs bus stations and warming shelters have told us to make sure we do not let this
pass. They have experienced public defecation, urination, flashing, and found drug
paraphernalia in areas neighboring the shelter. They have also experienced drug
addicted people sleeping outside and increased traffic of cars, vans, and campers
driving by the shelter. Is this really the environment you would wish for the children of
these schools to be placed in?
In closing, there is a need in Bozeman for services for the homeless and underserved.
However, the location of these services needs to make sense. The proposed location
and change in zoning to accommodate the HRDCs warming center clearly does not
make sense. It is more than fourth mile from a covered bus shelter. Due to its distance
from other services, the HRDC is proposing to shuttle people to the shelter, which
seems to be one more barrier against this being a successful venture. As stated above
a change to the zoning and the proposed warming center would change the character of
the neighborhood and effect the safety of the neighbors and students in the schools
surrounding it. I would hope it would be plainly evident that the house at 3025
Westridge would be a poor location for a warming center and I strongly urge you to
deny the special use permit.
Sincerely,
Stacy Lunden
stacy.lunden@gmail.com