HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-20-21 Public Comment - L. Jay - Buffalo Run App. 21076From:Lorre Jay
To:Agenda
Subject:Letter for Application 21076
Date:Tuesday, April 20, 2021 7:26:40 AM
Attachments:Letter to applications 21076 LFJ.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Please see attached for Application 21076 for City Commission Meeting.
Regards,
Lorre Jay
Lorre Jay
2964 Meah Lane
Bozeman, MT 59718
lorrejay@gmaiI.com
April 19, 2021
City of Bozeman Department of Community Development
Attention: Chris Saunders
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771-1230
agenda@bozeman.net
Comments on Proposed Buffalo Run Development, Application 21076
Dear City of Bozeman Department of Community Development:
The Buffalo Run proposed Development is noncompliant with Bozeman’s Municipal Code and the
2020 Bozeman Community Plan due to traffic and noncompliance with affordable housing objectives..
This letter is in response to the proposed Buffalo Run Development, application 21076 annexation
and R-4 rezoning request (the "Proposal"). This proposal plans to develop an existing 20 acre
agricultural parcel into an R-4 high density, residential mixed use district. It is anticipated that
Buffalo Run will be at least 250 housing units, possibly 9 buildings 3 stories high on this 20 acre
parcel, although the plans have not been finalized. Their prior proposal involving an R-5 zoning
application was for 330 housing units. At 250 housing units, the density is 0.08 acre/unit.
Background and Growth Policy
Given the influx of new residents due to the pandemic and the desire to capture the approximate
net 10,000 people that commute to Bozeman but chose not to live in Bozeman either due to
affordability or other reasons, it is understandable how high density growth at any cost can be an
attractive solution to Bozeman’s housing crisis and growth problem. More housing is the solution
and more affordable housing is in high demand. However, even the City itself questions the
“growth at any cost” paradigm in the 2020 Bozeman Community Plan as excerpted below:
“Does the City Have to Grow? The city is not required to grow in an area or population. The City
could choose not to annex new property…the factors that draw people to the area would be
unlikely to be changed by a City decision to restrict development…” The purpose of development
is to true-up costs expended by the approximate net inflow of 10,000 people “…coming into
Bozeman for work consuming street capacity, police and fire services and other municipal
services without corresponding increase in revenue.”1
The key to enticing commuters to live in Bozeman and become part of the taxable base is
affordable housing. Yet, the proposed Buffalo Run has no requirement to accommodate
affordable housing goals and will likely reflect the going market for new construction starting at
1 2020 Bozeman Community Plan, page 12.
City of Bozeman Department of Community Development
Page 2
about $500,000 and up for 3 bedroom condominiums (similar to Gran Cielo nearby).
Buffalo Run Proposal
The Buffalo Run developer is expected to maximize the property density having attempted to
push through R-5 zoning previously. The current plan including a request for annexation and R-4
zoning appears to include 9 buildings, 3 stories high which will likely include 250 – 300 residential
units. These units will likely sell for at least $400,000 each and possibly more given the average
selling price for new construction in Bozeman (and the low end of similar nearby Gran Cielo units
at an average price of $635,000 per condo). This makes this development worth approximately
$100 million - $120 million to the developer. This provides a potential profit of $18 million to $24
million to the Buffalo Run developer. I point this out to indicate how much value your acceptance
of this Proposal will provide to the Developer. However he is in no way required to compensate
for problems that this Proposal causes to the surrounding community. Offering to pave Fowler is
an appropriate allocation of cost to the person benefiting and responsible for the cost. Paving
Fowler, however, does not address all the problems that this Proposal will cause.
Traffic Patterns Will Create Serious Problems for Meadow Creek
The Developer has indicated that he will pave Fowler up to the entrance to the property and will
punch a hole through the park at Meadow Creek on Kirk Street, a quiet dead-end road to provide
an entrance to this development. This will create a traffic pattern through Meadow Creek,
increasing traffic more than 10-times or about 1500 cars per day on Kirk and 27th (the only way
to exit to a main road). No other Bozeman subdivision or R-4 zoned development has been
allowed to funnel its traffic through another subdivision to gain access to a major road.
This substantial increase of traffic over 2 roads (Kirk Drive and 27th Street) will increase auto
accidents, put children at risk who play in Ainsworth Park and cause Meadow Creek residents to
quit using a part of the neighborhood they currently enjoy. This proposed annexation and R-4
zoning project is in direct opposition to several goals in Bozeman’s 2020 Community Plan as
follows:
1. N.1 “Support Well-Planned, Walkable Neighborhoods” (p. 29). Similar to Municipal Code Sec.
38.300.100 “Use of R-4 zone is appropriate for areas adjacent to mixed-use districts, commercial
districts, and/or served by transit to accommodate a higher density of residents in close proximity
to jobs and services.”
This area is on the edge of city services, receives no transportation support and is not
walkable to much of anything other than Ainsworth Park. The closest grocery store is 2.6 miles
(Town & Country on 11th), the nearest school is 2.7 miles (Sacagawea Middle School), the
nearest business park is 1.3 miles (Oracle, currently for sale, and nearest bus stop is 3.1 miles
(MSU the Strand Union). This is not a high density area, the Meadow Creek neighborhood is
built as R-1. Well-planned walkable neighborhoods would not increase traffic 10-fold due to
the lack of services available or planned nearby.
2. N-1.9 “Ensure Multimodal Connections between adjacent developments.” (p. 29) No multi-
modal connections exist or are planned by the City. This forces more use of cars to meet daily
living requirements.
City of Bozeman Department of Community Development
Page 3
3. N-1.11 “Enable gradual and predictable increase in density in developed areas over time.” (p.
29) The R-4 zoning is a dramatic, unpredictable increase in density as compared to current
as-built R-1 zoning of Meadow Creek. This is not predictable zoning for the existing residents
and would decrease character and use of the existing neighborhood by driving a high traffic
route through the heart of Meadow Creek right near the Ainsworth Park which is the most
used part of the neighborhood.
4. N-2.2 “Revise the zoning map to support higher intensity residential districts near schools,
services, and transportation.” (p. 30). This proposed zoning map revision would do the exact
opposite of this goal. This would be putting higher intensity residential district far away from
schools services and transportation.
5. DCD-1.1 “Evaluate alternatives for more intensive development in proximity to high visibility
corners, services and parks.” (p. 33). This proposed development is not near a high visibility
corner or city services. This location is literally on the edge of city services where we barely
get our streets plowed. Unclear what is considered a high visibility corner, but this definitely
is very far away from one.
6. DCD-1.9 “Promote mixed use developments with access to parks, open space and transit
options.” (p.33). It is ironic that the consideration of this proposal threatens to reduce the
existing neighborhood’s access to our park due to traffic concerns, and materially reduces the
open space available to us now. There are no transit options other than car, bike and walking.
No city transportation exists this far away from the City Center.
7. DCD-2.2 “Support high density development along main corridors and at high visibility street
corners to accommodate population growth and to support businesses.” (p. 33). This
proposed development is not along a main corridor – 19th street is 1 mile away and you must
pass through several small streets to get there. There are no businesses within about 2 miles
or more (other than the Spire Climbing Gym).
8. DCD-3.1 “Expand multimodal accessibility between districts and throughout the City as a
means of promoting personal and environmental health as well as reducing automobile
dependency” (p. 34). This proposed development which is so far away from stores, work
locations and educational facilities will accomplish the exact opposite of this goal – it will
increase automobile dependency.
9. DCD-3.2 “Identify missing links in the multimodal system, prioritize those most beneficial to
complete, and pursue funding for the completion of those links.” (p. 34). Stucky Road is
dangerous and not up to City standards, Fowler is a gravel road and although it may be
partially paved by the developer, it will likely not be up to City standards, the intersection at
Graf and Enterprise is dangerous due to poor traffic patterns and parking on both sides of
Enterprise which reduce visibility (likely it needs a traffic circle) and will be under increased
pressure when Gran Cielo is completed. Until the City commits to upgrading these roads and
intersections, development should not exacerbate already dangerous conditions due to
“missing links” at the edge of city services.
10. DCD 3.5 “Encourage increased development intensity in commercial centers and near major
employers” (p. 34). This development is high intensity but not near commercial centers or
City of Bozeman Department of Community Development
Page 4
major employers. Again this proposed R-4 zoning development is in direct opposition to
Bozeman’s own growth plan.
11. M-1.1 “Prioritize mixed-use land use patterns. Encourage and enable the development of
housing, jobs, and services in close proximity to one another” (p. 41). This proposed R-4
zoning development is not near jobs or services. This proposal in direct opposition to this goal.
12. EE-1.4: “Support employee retention and attraction efforts by encouraging continued
development of affordable housing in close proximity to large employers” (p. 45). This
proposed R-4 zoning and development does not represent either affordable housing or in
close proximity to large employers.
13. RC-4.3: “Prioritize human well-being and health in the creation and implementation of land
development standards.” (p. 49). This proposed R-4 zoning development decreases health
and well-being by creating a scarcity of quiet space previously enjoyed materially changing
the character of the existing neighborhood and by creating a more dangerous traffic
environment.
Gran Cielo - Nearby R-4 example Has Access to Main Road
Gran Cielo, a nearby R-4 subdivision under construction is a 49-acre parcel located west of 19th
between Graf and Stucky. The preliminary plat shows 124 units and a 4-acre park with multiple
housing options including condo’s, townhomes and single family homes. The lowest priced condo
is $515,000 with the average price at $635,000. The density of this property is about 0.4 acres per
home type. All traffic has direct access to either Stucky or Graf, both of which are designated
“Collector Roads” by the Bozeman Transportation Master Plan, or roads which have direct access
to an arterial road such as 19th.
Additional Traffic From Gran Cielo Will Add Pressure to Existing Main Roads
Graf is wide and a straight shot approximately ½ mile to 19th, but passes through a difficult
intersection at Enterprise which has resulted in recent serious accidents due to confusing traffic
patterns with moving vehicles required to take turns weaving in between parked cars and
construction equipment. Stucky is an unfinished road, not very wide with deep ditches on either
side and dangerous at night and in inclement weather, despite its 40 mph speed limit. Neither
roads have any budgeted City improvements, according to Zoning Commissioner George
Thompson.
The traffic coming out of Gran Cielo has yet to be tested on these roads. The traffic rule-of-thumb
is approximately 7 trips/day for each condo and 10 trips for each single family home. This would
put an additional approximate 1,0002 cars on Graf and Stucky throughout the day.
The additional traffic caused by the proposed Buffalo Run increases traffic 1,500 cars per day over
2 quiet streets: Kirk Drive and 27th Street, neither of which are “Collectors. This would be in
addition to the already busy intersection at Graf and Enterprise and the additional traffic created
by Gran Cielo.
2 Per Gran Cielo Website, 124 units, mixed use, some with ADU’s, approximate 8 trips/unit. https://grancielobzn.com/glede-
single-family/
City of Bozeman Department of Community Development
Page 5
Traffic Impact
The Proposal is for approximately 250 condominiums on 20 acres. The traffic impact study
submitted by the developer grossly underestimates at 200 the additional vehicles during peak hours.
A recent civil engineering study indicates that 7 trips/day per condominium is an appropriate peak
estimate which would mean about 1,750 trips/day added to Kirk Drive and other neighborhood
roads. This does not include landscapers, UPS, FedEx, USPS and other delivery trucks, garbage,
recycling and composting vehicles, snow plow equipment, street cleaning, maintenance, school
buses or the volume of heavy equipment and construction vehicles that will use as an access point
what is now a lightly-used, dead-end street (Kirk Drive)3.
Zoning Incompatibility
The proposed project is non-compliant with Municipal Code Sec. 38.300.100. It is incompatible
with the surrounding area and is not in compliance with applicable standards. “Use of R-4 zone is
appropriate for areas adjacent to mixed-use districts, commercial districts, and/or served by transit to
accommodate a higher density of residents in close proximity to jobs and services.” This annexation
and R-4 development proposal is not adjacent to any mixed us district, nor will it be for many years
to come. It is not served by city transit and it is not close to jobs and services. The Oracle campus
is 1.5 miles away and is not served by public transportation. MSU, grocery stores, schools, etc.
are more than 2 miles away and are not served by public transportation.
I hope that you will seriously consider the Buffalo Run Proposal’s violations of the Municipal Code
and noncompliance with Bozeman’s growth plan vote no for R-4 zoning.
Kindest regards,
Meadow Creek Homeowner
Lorre F. Jay
2964 Meah Lane
Bozeman MT 5971
3 Source: Mike Spack, Traffic Engineering Standards .