HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-16-21 Public Comments - B. Yeomans - Canyon GateFrom:Ben Yeomans
To:Agenda; Jacob Miller
Subject:Proposed zoning for NE Corner of Bridger Dr. and Story Mill Rd.
Date:Tuesday, November 16, 2021 9:48:16 AM
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Dear Zoning Commission Members,
Thank you for your consideration of public comments on the proposed development at the
corner of Story Mill Rd and Bridger Dr. I've been a Bozeman resident since 2006 so havewitnessed a fair bit of the growth of the city and the surrounding valley. I do recognize the
need for continued development to address housing needs for the growing population, and likemany others feel strongly this development should be permitted wisely with a strong focus on
what makes Bozeman such a beautiful and appealing place to live in the first place. To me theBridger range and the entrance to Bridger Canyon is an iconic aspect of that beauty. It is
exceptional and rare to pass just outside of the density of the city and to have the land open up,take in the Bridgers looming in front of you and to be funneled up and into the canyon. The
zoning and development requested by HomeBase Partners needs to be weighed against theeffect on that passageway to the mountains that so many Bozemanites enjoy.
I respectfully ask that you give strong consideration to approving annexation into the city, but
with much lower density than is being requested, for the following reasons:
Traffic and congestion due to the effect of the train crossings. I live on the north side of
the tracks and work and take kids to school on the south side. There are already manymornings where the backed up traffic is causing delays and this will clearly be
exacerbated relative to the density of development that is permitted. Please request thatthe city address this issue before packing more people in on the north side of the tracks.
The need for family housing options is so much greater than the need for commercialand retail space in this area of town. The cannery and smaller businesses like Ghost
Town Coffee fit the scale of this area of the city, not multiple story hotels and apartmentbuildings. In addition zoning for this type of development has already been approved
just across the street in the Stockyard/Story Mill area. Anymore at this stage is excessiveand out of balance with the needs of the city and the scale of the neighborhood.
I would like Bozeman to maintain its focus on supporting families and residents whowant to build their lives here, as opposed to vacation home/apartment homeowners who
are naturally less invested in the community. There are already luxury apartment optionsbuilt and being built downtown for these visitors. Please only approve housing options
that support more full time locally invested residents.Please do not approve any option to pay cash in lieu of the open space requirements for
new development. Open space and trails are exactly what balances the effects ofongoing development in the valley and the idea that a developer of the scale of
HomeBase Partners could simply utilize already existing parks/trails and cash tocircumvent the requirements seems like an unnecessary catering to the profit margins of
the already wealthy at the expense of the local residents. Please hold firm on therequired open space/trail development guidelines.
Thank you for your consideration of my comments.
Sincerely,Ben Yeomans