HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-02-2020 Public Comment - J&J Jelinski - Parking Benefit DistrictsMarch 2, 2020
To: Bozeman City Commission
Chris Mehl, Bozeman Mayor
Cyndy Andrus, Deputy Mayor
City Commissioners Terry Cunningham, I-Ho Pomeroy and Michael Wallner
Brit Fontenot, City Economic Development Director
Bozeman Parking Commisison
Ed Meece, City Parking Program Manager
From: Jack and Jane Jelinski
Re: Proposed Parking Benefit Zone Ordinance 2033
We request that you send the Ordinance back to the Parking Commission for further work. We believe
ordinance is not thought through. There are many consequential omissions and we have been given
conflicting information. For example, we have been told that residents will not be charged for permits,
that residential permits will probably cost thirty dollars, and that residential permits will probably cost
one hundred dollars. We have been told different information as to how many permits will be allowed
per residence.
The size of the district is a very big problem. The many neighborhoods within the proposed district map
have different character, different needs and different issues. One size does not fit all of them. There is
no analysis of unintended consequences.
We are particularly concerned that while we have no parking problem on N Tracy from Villard to N.
Cottonwood, once the two Medical Arts parking lots are going to be covered by high density buildings
without requiring adequate parking for the residents and businesses in those buildings, the parking
problem will be created for us, and then they’ll determine we meet the 85% utilization. This is simply
unconscionable and can easily be avoided if the City Commission would step up, represent the interests of
the residents who voted for you, and require developers to provide parking for their tenants. This is a cost
they will complain about, but they will still make enormous profits.
Finally, if you look at the language about the “60% residents’ petition,” it’s meaningless because it does
not state that the 60% protest or support will be supported by the parking commission. The City
Commissioners’ recent decision to rezone the N. Grand Medical Arts parking lot from R-4 to B-3 is
instructive. Every household within the affected zone change protested the zone change, yet the
Commissioners ignored the protest. The Ordinance needs to specifically state that the 60% will have
some effect, just like a majority of protests can stop the creation of a Special Improvement District.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Jack and Jane Jelinski
433 N Tracy Avenue
Bozeman. MT 59715
jjjelinski@msn.com
406-587-8367