HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-27-21 Public Comment - C. Nagel - Lazarewicz AnnexationFrom:Clint Nagel
To:Agenda
Subject:Comment on Reference application #20365
Date:Sunday, June 27, 2021 10:40:15 PM
Attachments:City complaint.docx
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Dear Department of Community Development:
Please accept our comments concerning the Proposed Lazarewicz Annexation
and Town West Subdivision. They are in the attached. We very concerned
citizens will be affected by proposed action.
Thank You,
Clinton and Ann Nagel
1385 Golden Gate Ave
Bozeman, Montana 59718
406-600-1792 and 406-600-1273
June 27, 2021
Tom Rogers
City of Bozeman
Department of Community Development
Bozeman, Montana
Subject: Proposed Lazarewicz Annexation: Reference Application #20365
Dear Mr. Rogers:
My wife and I were recently informed about the proposed Town West Project, a
development which lies to the southwest of the Loyal Garden Subdivision. We are
concerned because we live in the Loyal Garden Subdivision on the corner of Golden Gate
Ave and Loyal Drive. We understand that there is a desire to turn our access onto
Cottonwood Road into a main arterial highway by using the Loyal Drive access in front of
our home and then through our neighborhood to enter the proposed development. We
are against such action for many reasons.
I’ve complained in the past about the haphazard growth pattern the City of Bozeman
seems to have undertaken in recent years. Instead of the City of Bozeman leading in a
proper, more controlled growth policy, they are being led astray by developers who want
to make a quick buck. And then it is the City that has to come in after the fact and deal
with the chaotic mess that uncontrolled growth patterns create. I’m in favor of a more
controlled growth policy, whereas the City encourages “infilling” of property within the
City limits before they expand outward, buying up agricultural land. This is bad for all
aspects of society. Uncontrolled growth leads to traffic congestion, loss of wildlife habitat,
loss of agricultural lands, creates unequal property values, and causes erratic and
inefficient city services.
That is my normal complaint, but now we have a personal stake in this attempt to run
over city residents’ concerns. First, this possibility of hijacking our neighborhood street
and turning it into an arterial thoroughfare never was explained to us or I doubt to any
other neighborhood resident when we purchased the land for a home. The result of such
action would disrupt the character of our neighborhood by lowering property values,
increasing noise and congestion, and endangering the lives of children, pets and residents
who live here.
We understand that the City has to look forward and plan ahead for growth, but you also
have the responsibility to protect the rights of its existing residents. By disrupting a
neighborhood’s character, it foreshadows the city’s lack of respect for its citizenry. It
foreshadows a city’s lack of concern for the welfare of the community, for the overall city’s
appearance, and its inability to blend one part of the city to another. It is not a smart move
to disrupt existing communities just because another developer wants to make a buck.
Then you become like any other city that is broken up by illogical growth patterns and
deteriorating property values.
I want to believe that the City of Bozeman is better than this. We have lived many places
across this country and our plan was to make Bozeman our permanent home because it
was different. If this plan goes forth, my wife and I will not see Bozeman that way
anymore. It will become like any other moderate size city that wants to expand and make
a name for itself. We have a quiet neighborhood that does not deserve to be disrupted by
outside developers who do not care about existing neighborhoods.
For the sake of the neighborhood, the park in which the Homeowners Association has
invested, and the residents, children and pets who live here, we sincerely encourage the
City and County to use some common sense and devote more time to develop a sensible
City/County Growth Plan. We respectfully argue that this proposed development isn’t it,
not as it is proposed at this time.
Sincerely,
Clinton and Ann Nagel
Residents of Loyal Garden Subdivision
1385 Golden Gate Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59718
clint_nagel@yahoo.com