HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-07-21 Public Comment - M. Koscinski Buffalo Run Protest Mark and Martha Koscinski
3431 S. 29`h Avenue c�z
Bozeman,MT 59718
To: Bozeman City Commission
RE: Application number,20112. Buffalo Run. 5400 Fowler Lane
We are Mark and Martha I£oscinski,3431 S. 29t1i Ave.,Bozeman,Montana. We have been residents
of Bozeman for 15 years and have lived in our home in Meadow Creek for over seven years.
We are writing to protest the above captioned application because it will negatively impact our
neighborhood and the City of Bozeman. We understand the City's eagerness to approve every multi-
family application that is submitted,but this one does not make sense. This is a 20.79-acre parcel in
the middle of an agricultural area of Gallatin County; not easily accessed from any major road: It
borders county road, Fowler Lane. The application for R-5 Zoning and the building of 13
condominiums in this area does not make sense for the following reasons:
1. According to the.City, R-5 zoning is appropriate fqr areas ad'acent-o mixed-use districts
and/or served by transit to accommodate a higher density of residents in close
pro-ldmity to jobs and services.
a. 'There are NO services in this area. No schools. No churches. No shopping. No
businesses. No offices.
b. There is NO public transportation available in this area.
c. 'Where are NO bicycle lanes in this area.
d. There are NO contiguous sidewalks from the corner of S. 19'to Main Street.There
are no contiguous sidewalks from Hope Lutheran Church to S. 19`''. (There is no sidewalk
on the City-owned property on the corner of S. 19`h and Graf. No sidewalk. No snow
removal)
e. If Buffalo Run is going to construct 13 buildings with either two or three stories,why is
R-5 being requested?
f. Building 13 condo buildings in an area surrounded by pastures and single- family homes
is not compatible with the area.
g. It is a quiet,agricultural area with homes no higher than 38'. High rise condominiums or
apartments would be obnoxious and totally out of place compared to the surrounding
homes and pastures.
h. The water pressure in Meadow Creek is probably the worst in Bozeman. How will
sending water to Buffalo Run affect the water pressure in Meadow Creek?
Page 1 of 3
i Environmentally,this is contrary to the City's environmental plan. Adding 288 housing
units in an area where there are no services,no shopping,no churches,no schools,and no
public transportation will add pollution from 600+vehicles daily. In addition,water usage
for 288 units further depletes the vital water source that serves Bozeman.
If I am not mistaken, the prior owners of this property had petitioned to die County to
subdivide and build a few homes on this 20.79 acres. The County did not approve the
application due to water concerns. We respectfully ask the City to consider the amount
of City water that will be used by this subdivision.
j. Public Safety. Law enforcement and patrols in Meadow Creek are virtually non-existent
now. 288 housing units which translates to 600+ vehicles and 600+ individuals in an area
that is not easily accessible for emergency services. How will police and fire trucks quickly
respond to Buffalo Run? Inasmuch as high-rise apartments appear to appeal to MSU
students, it is probably safe to assume there will be an abundance of students living in
Buffalo Run. Need we say more?
k. Storm Water Retention Pond. Meadow Creek has a storm water retention pond on the
comer of S. 30ffi and Kurk. It appears that Buffalo Run will have another storm water
retention area to the west of the Meadow Creek facility. What measures are being taken
to prevent the storm water from Buffalo Run from overflowing into the Meadow Creek
storm water pond,especially with the amount of ground surface that will be covered with
13+ buildings and parking lots?
2. The traffic study in this application is unrealistic and unfair to the owners in Meadow Creek.
Using a study from somewhere else due to Covid-19 does not fairly project future traffic
patterns.
a. The primary access to this property SHOULD be from Fowler Lane. The address of
this property is 5400 Fowler Lane. Therefore, access should be to and from Fowler
Lane—not through Meadow Creek.
b. If the developer is so eager to build 288 housing units on this 20.79 acres, the
developer should improve Fowler. Let the developer work it out with the County.
Why is it that the owners in Meadow Creek will be compromised and
inconvenienced simply because Fowler is unpaved?
c. Intersection of S. 27' and Graf. Gran Cielo. The traffic study does not mention the
fact that there will be heavy traffic feeding onto Graf at 27" from the west from the Gran
Cielo subdivision, currently under construction. All the traffic from Meadow Creek and
Buffalo run will converge at that intersection each morning and afternoon during the high
peak hours,adding to an already ridiculous intersection.
d. Funneling the vehicles of 288 housing units (600+ vehicles) through an established
neighborhood is unfair and burdensome to the owners of Meadow Creek. 'There is no
direct road from the proposed development to S. 19'. As proposed,traveling to and from
Page 2 of 3
Buffalo Run will require vehicles to stop at several intersections several times. This will
increase pollution, noise, and potential traffic danger to owners and pedestrians in
Meadow Creek,to say nothing of fact that the roads in Meadow Creek are seldom plowed.
We strongly object to this proposed subdivision as it has been presented to the City AND to the R-5
Zoning. Please do not approve this application—in its entirety.
Respectfully,
i�w N /4-e'V4 � �l
Mark M. Koscinski Martha M. Koscinski
Page 3 of 3