HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-06-19 Public Comment - D. Wester - HRDC Warming Center SiteFrom:Dexter Wester
To:Sarah Rosenberg; Agenda
Subject:PROPOSED HRDC WARMING CENTER
Date:Wednesday, November 06, 2019 12:51:25 PM
Reference Project # 19-438 – HRDC Warming Center
This special use permit application from HRDC for a WarmingCenter at 3025 Westridge Drive should be denied. The requirednarrative responses are not provided or addressed in thisapplication. For example, the response for 1.c “protect the publichealth, safety and general welfare” (Montana law, Section 76-2-304 MCA) is notaddressed:
SPECIAL CONDITIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED INCLUDE THEFOLLOWING
1. IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY:
1. proposal of a “low barrier warming center” to be located in a R-1
neighborhood thereby exposing 1192 children of two school to unknown
risks.
2. Impact on safety of the children attending Morning Star elementary and
Sacajawea middle school that utilize the cross walk located at South
Third, Westridge and Graf. The shuttle for transportation of clients for this
proposal will be parked on the street for pickup during busy morning
times. There is no way for southbound cars to see a child that may be in
front of this shuttle.
3. Shuttle will be using residential streets (Westridge or Arnold and
Westridge) to access the proposed site.
2. IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH:
1. Proposal of housing up to 36 people/day is going to generate enough
garbage that needs to have a daily dumpster pickup by the City of
Bozeman.
2. Disposal of “sharps” and any infectious matter needs to be handled with
the utmost care and secured from access by children. (Volunteer staff are
being told to call only when dumpster is full)
3. Daily disposal of food brought in by clients needs to be secured from
scattering into the neighborhood.
4. Any disease that is prevalent in the homeless population will be brought
onto the front steps of a neighborhood and the front steps of two
schools. What is this population going to bring, as it seems that a pack of
cigarettes is more important than anyone’s health, the users included?
5. Can the infrastructure of a single-family residence handle the sewage
created by 36 people? This is a population that may be disposing of
(diapers, hygienic supplies, wipes) items that shouldn’t be flushed into the
sewer system.
3. IMPACT ON GENERAL WELFARE:People who purchased their homes in this area did so with thepredictability R-1 zoning provided. Now our zoning is being changedfrom something that should only apply to NEW development, insteadof applying it to existing development. This will devalue homes. Many are relying on their home’s value to be a part of their retirementand to provide for future long-term care.
No one is condemning someone else to freeze but most bigger cities, openpublic buildings so that people can stay warm. Only in Bozeman is a warmingcenter also a place to sleep. (One has to ask how can anyone sleep whenpeople can check in until 11 p.m., be interrupted by several 15-minute smokebreaks).
Dexter Wester
2601 Westridge Drive