HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-11-21 Public Comment - T. Moltzan - Buffalo Run DevelopmentFrom: Terry Moltzan
To: Agenda
Subject: Application 20112 - Buffalo Run Annexation
Date: Monday, January 11, 2021 5:47:31 PM
Attachments: image.png
I oppose the Annexation and Zone Map amendment application. The addition of R-5 zoning
at this location is not harmonious with the existing neighborhood of Meadow Creek. My
family and I have lived on Kurk Drive for five years and it quite simply is not designed to be
an arterial road feeding high density development. There is a trail system crossing Kurk
between S26th Ave and Parkway Ave that is used quite heavily by the residents for walking,
running, bike riding and dog walking. There is not currently a crosswalk and it would be a
safety hazard to increase the traffic on Kurk to support high density housing. School bus
routes currently use Kirk and we have used the bus stop at Kirk and South 27th. All traffic to
Buffalo run would have to go through that intersection and would make the area less safe for
the school bus stops.
Meadow creek is a very active and walkable neighborhood as it is now. The trails and park
get a lot of use. I am a runner and run considerable mileage in our neighborhood. The roads
are generally very quiet and it makes for a safe place to run. The neighborhoods of Meadow
Creek and Southbridge are quite isolated from the rest of town. The only path with sidewalks
out of the area is along Graf to either South 11th or South 3rd Avenue. Due to this Isolation I
do most of my weekly running mileage in our neighborhoods. You can see in the heat map
below that I very frequently run along Kurk Drive and to Meadow Creek Park. The
connectivity out of our neighborhoods has effectively driven my longer running routes to be
along Graf, which does not have any developed places of business along it. Other than
Enterprise Park, there are no other parts of town with developed businesses that I would
consider walkable from this area.
This part of Bozeman is not walkable to the core of the city and it is not well served by public
transit. The MSU bookstore is estimated as a 50 minute walk from the edge of the proposed
annexation. This is not within a reasonable definition of walking distance. It is unrealistic to
think that vehicle traffic will not have a great impact on the areas surrounding this large of a
high density development. It simply does not make sense to add a high density development
at this location, where it is only adjacent to low density housing and does not have adequate
access.
Sincerely,
Terry Moltzan