HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-09-20 Public Comment - S. Custer - Community Plan Growth Policy (2)From: Steve Custer
To: Planning
Subject: Comment on the Bozeman 2019 Community Plan
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2020 3:08:10 PM
I am writing to comment on the Bozeman 2019 Community Plan. This comment is my opinion and
does not reflect the official opinion of any board or committee on which I sit. I cannot help but
notice the many county enclaves within the planning area (e.g. pages 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, etc. but
particularly 35). Some of these enclaves include city-density homes on individual wells and septic
systems. Many of the septic systems were approved before modern regulations were in effect and
when they were far from city infrastructure. Some of these systems are failing, or come under
review because of changing land uses home additions or other land-use changes. The densities of
these homes are sometimes very near city sewer and water, but for a variety of reasons which
include installation cost for an individual, fear of costs of annexation, and the desire to maintain the
“county way of life” are being permitted with individual septic systems. The lots are small and often
require variances. Unless I have missed it, I do not see a goal in the Bozeman 2019 Community Plan
to search for ways to make annexation and connection to the city and the city and sewer and water
system affordable and palatable. Such annexation would, in my opinion, best be facilitated by
maintaining the character of the neighborhood, and involve the whole neighborhood as a small
community in collaboration with the city to create sewer and water connections to reduce the cost
of connection rather than considering connection one lot at a time. If such connections were
achieved, it is my opinion that public health and safety would be served. I believe it would be in the
interest of public health and safety to actively research legal, financial, and infrastructure strategies
that would achieve the goal of annexing and connecting these communities to city infrastructure as
a neighborhood rather than one lot at a time. I recognize that there are many legal and financial
barriers to this goal, but if strategies are not developed for the enclaves as a unit rather than a lot at
a time, I believe that the new septic systems will always be less expensive than connection and that
the public health will not ultimately be protected. Please consider a goal to search for strategies to
connect these high-density areas to the city infrastructure as a neighborhood rather than one lot
at a time.
Steve Custer, 39 Swift Water Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715, 406 586 3887, sgcuster@gmail.com