HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-30-2020 Public Comment - K. France - Parking Benefit DistrictsJanuary 30, 2020
To: the Bozeman City Commission members
From: Kathleen France, 401 N Black, Bozeman, 59715
(mailing: PO Box 427, 59771)
Re: institution of a resident parking district
I am writing to express my displeasure in the plan to create a parking district, that includes my
neighborhood. I struggle to find for whom the word “benefit” fits in the “parking benefit
district.” – other than the City and the developers who don’t have to provide adequate parking
for their eventual tenants.
We do not have a problem with parking – we share the streets with those who park to take the
Streamliner to MSU (and other places), those who work downtown, and those who go to the
Ridge (there are at least 2 people who regularly park around Beall Park, and walk 3 blocks to
the gym). The issues we have BEGIN at 5 PM and are limited to the summer months sport
season at Beall Park, Music on Main, and the evening events at Sweet Pea. The hours of 8am-
5pm are not an issue – unless you live near one of the new multi-use buildings. Right now, it’s
all of the construction people. Once they leave, it will be whatever/whomever ends uphaving
inadequate parking within the confines of the development
The “credits” used by developers to get away with avoiding providing enough parking for their
projects are the real problem. We, the property owners and people actually living in the area,
are now being tasked with paying for what amounts to mistakes made by the City of Bozeman.
Just stop it - now. While the development that is happening is a done deal, do not compound
the mistakes by making us pay for it again. Don’t try to fix a problem by creating yet another.
As I understand it, you will be offering business owners the “opportunity” to buy parking passes
for their staff, in our neighborhood. Why does it make ANY sense to make us pay for staff
people who work downtown? Why not build another parking garage? Or pay for more
Streamliner busses and provide a park-and-ride lot for people who have to drive into town.
There ARE other options to making us pay for this.
I am disturbed by the idea that this is a forgone conclusion, but that is what we left the Beall
Park meeting feeling. I’m not sure how many of you or the volunteer group that came up with
this idea actually live in this area. If this IS a “done deal,” then please consider making the
residential -as well as our visitor -passes free and let the businesses who will actually benefit
from this added parking, pick up the cost of parking in our neighborhood. But as I said, we
don’t have a problem with parking. We have an overdevelopment/inadequately planned for
problem