HomeMy WebLinkAboutF.4 Ordinance 2046 Combined Public Comment
STUDIO H DESIGN, INC.
81211 Gallatin Rd., Suite E
Bozeman, MT 59718
406.587.9968 (Office)
www.studiohdesigninc.com
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Mr. Dean Burgess, AIA
Principal
Studio H Design, Inc.
81211 Gallatin Rd., Suite E
Bozeman, MT 59718
dburgess@studiohdesigninc.com
(406) 570-3235
July 6th, 2020
Mr. Marty Matsen
Director of Planning & Community Development
Mr. Chris Saunders
Community Development Manager
Bozeman Planning Division
20 East Olive St.
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59715
RE: B-3 Zoning Change – Expanding Allowable Uses in Downtown District and Other Storefront Block
Frontages
Dear Marty & Chris,
I am writing on behalf of Studio H Design, a local architecture and planning firm, to express support of the
proposed modification to BMC Section 38.310.040 to expand allowable uses in the Downtown District and
other Storefront Block Frontages.
The goal of the original code to create a lively pedestrian atmosphere in the Downtown District through the
use of “high volume, pedestrian-oriented uses” is an excellent strategy to perforate the urban street wall by
encouraging foot traffic in and out of commercial spaces and create a visually vibrant pedestrian atmosphere.
As recognized by the Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan that “Daytime workers are vital to healthy
downtown areas. They bring consistent pedestrian life to the area…”, allowing ground floor office use will
increase the diversity of daily pedestrian use and encourage blending of local business owners, employees,
and clientele with visitor traffic. Office workers also maintain a steady flow of pedestrian traffic throughout
the seasons to keep an active streetscape.
We applaud the proposed language change to allow office use “within the core when the business’ primary
access is from an alley” as an excellent approach both to keep the main street façade populated with high-
volume commercial spaces as well as accommodate ground-floor office occupancy. However, we also
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recognize that this approach may unnecessarily limit office use where it may otherwise be an appropriate use
that still achieves the above stated goals. For example, there are several historic buildings served by a
common corridor connecting Main St. to the alleys. Many of these buildings have “island” tenant spaces in
the interior of the building that are ideally suited for office use that neither front on Main Street or alley
facades and the definition of the primary access facade for these spaces would be ambiguous.
We recommend that in addition to keeping the proposed language change to allow office use when the
primary access is from an alley, the Planning Division consider expanding the proposed language to include
additional flexibility in order to accommodate internal ground-floor spaces that do not front on or are not
clearly accessed from an alley. We propose including language similar to BMC Table 38.310.040.C Footnote
5; we suggest the proposed language change read as:
“Lower volume pedestrian uses such as professional offices may locate on ground floor space in the
downtown B-3 area outside the above-defined core or within the core when the business’ primary
access is from an alley or to the rear of other commercial uses fronting Main Street. Non-office uses
(except for lobbies associated with office uses) are required on the ground floor to a minimum depth
of 20 feet from the front building façade on properties adjacent to designated storefront streets per
section 38.500.010”.
This approach would both maintain the vibrant, active commercial streetscape directly fronting on Main Street
while accommodating ground floor office uses where appropriate and the associated benefit to the
community.
We recognize that the proposed language regarding primary access from the alley will contribute to the
ongoing effort to activate the alleyways as described by the Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan and
championed by the Downtown Bozeman Partnership. We wholeheartedly support this effort to increase the
depth of the downtown district by providing pedestrian destinations in the alleys.
Thank you for your consideration of these suggestions. We look forward to the continued growth and diverse
development of the downtown core.
Sincerely,
Dean Burgess, AIA
c: Mayor Chris Mehl, Commission Liaison, CMehl@bozeman.net
Deputy Mayor Cyndy Andrus, CAndrus@bozeman.net
Commissioner I-Ho Pomeroy, IPomeroy@bozeman.net
Commissioner Terry Cunningham, TCunningham@bozeman.net
Commissioner Michael Wallner, MWallner@bozeman.net
Zoning Commission c/o Tom Rogers, Staff Liaison, TRogers@bozeman.net