HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-21 Public Comment - D. Harvey - Canyon GateFrom:David Harvey 何大伟
To:Agenda
Subject:Canyon Gate proposed zoning
Date:Monday, September 13, 2021 10:19:01 PM
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To Whom It May Concern,
I own a lot at Legends and will build on it in the future. Currently I don’t reside in Bozeman. But I’d
like to express my general support for consideration of the Canyon Gate zoning proposal by the
commission. I’m not for or against the development at this stage. But open to the possibility. I’d like
to see more developed plans by Homebase along with their zoning request to get a better idea of
what the final development would be. Bozeman does need more residential density and that density
should be built around mixed use with commercial part of it to create more walkable communities.
Below is a link to a very good development on less land than Canyon Gate. It will house 900
residents. Plenty of public space. Social housing. It’s worth review and understanding by the
commission and planning board and I’ve attached it for that purpose. Imagine more of these
developments in Bozeman and less R1. Since the average American household is 2.53 people, you’d
need 355 single family houses to house 900 residents. Let’s assume average lot size of 1/5 acre
(8,712 square feet). That means 355 single residences would need 71 acres of land at a minimum.
Probably well over 100 acres of land with roads and services. The development in the link below fits
all that into 12 acres but does not at all appear large or out of scale. Which one would you prefer to
live in? Large soulless subdivisions further and further from the city core, void of local amenities,
restaurants or shops? Or a compact, vibrant development with multi-family residences, a mix of
socio-economic classes, walkable to work and shops, nature woven throughout? I’d choose the
gently dense, highly walkable development. I think many would if it was ever designed and built as
well as the Hanover project.
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?
a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cityfoerster.net%2fprojects%2fecovillage_hanover-374-
2.html&c=E,1,ZPa07gZxJePzewRmmkDnSilAStodxVyV2K4t5NlKXGUrNg81mgEriyYkekja3DM6cbxjRbe
WOzaEXTKMmZINHJxrI5D3IASonuLkqfCpH7TFw5u-gw,,&typo=1
The Canyon Gate proposal is around 16 acres if my Google Earth rough calcs are correct. I doubt
Homebase plan to develop as progressively as the Hanover project. But what if they would? The
city should consider zoning contingent on plans that lean this way or capture a lot of the magic of
the Hanover scheme. The Canyon Gate development has a chance to redefine how things get built in
Bozeman in relation to density. But it would take a developer intent on building something
meaningful rather than just maximizing profits. They currently have no plans for social housing, for
example. Big swing and a miss for them on that. Mixing social housing in with the development
would be advisable and speak to a large community need.
I lived in Bozeman from 1989-2001 and “sprawl” was feared even then. For over 30 years it’s been
discussed as problematic but Bozeman continues to spill across the valley in riot of R1. More density
is one way to slow it down. The Canyon Gate application deserves further exploration for that reason
alone. Adding new, walkable residential areas of gentle density within the old community is worth
consideration as a general planning approach, even a city-wide goal. Canyon Gate could provide a
new development blueprint for Bozeman if done right.
Thanks,
David Harvey
Musco Lighting, Shanghai Co. Ltd
+86-13816323004