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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-28-21 Public Comment - L. Babcock - The IvesFrom:agenda@bozeman.net To:Agenda Subject:Thank you for your public comment. Date:Tuesday, September 28, 2021 3:59:35 PM A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted. Form Name:Public Comment Form Date & Time:09/28/2021 3:59 PM Response #:1261 Submitter ID:44088 IP address:2600:6c67:527f:a0ac:e85c:5429:d966:6cd1 Time to complete:2 min. , 10 sec. Survey Details Page 1 Public comment may be submitted via the form below, or by any of the following options. Public comment may also be given at any public meeting. Email: agenda@bozeman.net Mail to: Attn: City Commission PO Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59771 First Name Linda Last Name Babcock Email Address crb7843@bresnan.net Phone Number 406-539 7321 Comments 9/24/21 Dear City commissioners, Thank you for all you do to support the greater Bozeman area. I am writing as a 3rd generation Bozemanite who lives in the same house my husband, Clark, was raised in. I have seen drastic changes in Bozeman and my neighborhood over the past 5 years. I worked with the group called Save Bozeman to try to help the Black and Olive develop in ways that were respectful of the neighborhood surrounding it and the community of Bozeman in general. Despite the many hours of civic participation, public comment, letter writing, and research put into this, it did not feel like my, our, concerns were heard. Hence, we are now left with the very issues we voiced concerning the project on our doorsteps now. I am also very concerned about what Homebase has done in other areas of town. Today, I would like to speak specifically about “The Ives”, a 6-story, 171,654 gross square foot mixed-use development in the current parking lot at the corner of Villard and Willson. It is the first building in the North Central Block 4 mixed-use development site plan. This is the area around and including the Medical Arts Building. Once again, the public was invited to share their thoughts and comments regarding the project. And once again, Homebase has disregarded them. Has the commission also disregarded them? The Ives is in direct opposition to what was suggested by the public. This, as was Black and Olive, is in a transition area between business and residential areas. The project blatantly disregards the integrity of the neighborhood. This building goes against the Bozeman Community Plan Goal N-4: “Continue to encourage Bozeman’s sense of place.” The majority of HomeBase buildings, including this one, look basically the same: a large mass and scale building with no character. This does not build a sense of place. This site plan goes against the Bozeman Strategic Plan for a “safe, healthy, welcoming and inclusive community.” The Design Review Board staff report states that “The Ives building would appear to tower over the smaller one- and two-story older homes to the north and west” and that “This taller form of several buildings in the area has been emerging over the past few years as a dynamic mixed use and urban mass and scale for this revitalized Downtown neighborhood.” This project does not provide enough parking to meet the needs of the the project. It fails to take into consideration the traffic and safety issues. This goes against the strategic plan by decreasing our quality of life and resulting in a community that is less safe and healthy. This is exactly what has happened because of the Black and Olive building. At this juncture you have a choice to learn from past mistakes. Homebase is asking for a variance with regard to the driveway access from W. Villard Street. Code states that the driveway must be a minimum of 40-feet from the intersection with the abutting alley per 38.400.090.1. The Villard driveway is located only 20 feet from the alley intersection. This variance should not be granted, as it is a safety issue. Please deny this. Please take another look at the Design Review Board’s comments with regards to vegetation and building size and materials. I would also ask you to also seriously look at the parking and traffic issues connected with this building. Please don’t make the same mistakes that were made with Black and Olive. Thank you for considering my concerns. You have a big job ahead of you as you consider how to guide Bozeman towards a healthy, aesthetic, safe, and equitable future. This is not about infill vs sprawl. Those are the developer’s words. It is about keeping Bozeman for the people who live here, keeping it affordable, and supporting neighborhoods wherever they are. Growth is inevitable and it is possible to plan for that growth without losing quality. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Sincerely, Linda F Babcock, 320 S Bozeman, Bozeman, MT. 406-539-7321 If you would like to submit additional documents (.pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .gif, .jpg, .png, .rtf, .txt) along with your comment, you may alternately address agenda@bozeman.net directly to ensure receipt of all information. Thank you, City Of Bozeman This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.