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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-23-21 Public Comment - E. Spotts - Mountains WalkingFrom:Ed Spotts To:Agenda Subject:Spotts - Letter Opposing Mountains Walking Zoning and Use Application Date:Tuesday, November 23, 2021 2:12:48 PM Attachments:Spotts Letter Opposing Mountains Walking Application.2021.11.22Combine.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. Sir and Madame, Please find attached our letter opposing the Mountains Walking plan and zoning change application. We are the owners of 809 East Fridley, immediately south and adjacent to the southern lot in the proposed application. Thank you for your consideration and hard work. Ed and Terra Spotts Owners 809 E. Fridley Sent from Outlook November 22, 2021 To: City of Bozeman Attn: City Commission PO Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59771 From: Ed and Terra Spotts Re: Mountains Walking Brewery Plan and Zoning Change Request for BLOCK 50, Lots 18 - 20, PLAT C-23 Madams and Sirs, We are the owners of the property at 809 East Fridley Street in Bozeman. This property is adjacent to and immediately south of the property/parcels for which the zoning change is requested. We have owned the property since 2003. We have reviewed the Mountains Walking land use and zoning change application and we object to the request to change the zoning of the southern parcel (currently a residence) from R-2 to B-2M for several reasons that we stated in a separate letter to the City on October 19, 2021 (R-2 inadvertently referred to as R-3 in that letter).. Since we submitted that letter we have virtually attended both the Zoning Board and Planning Board meetings and had the opportunity to listen to the applicant, board members and public comments as well provide our own. We appreciate the process. In addition to our concerns and reasons for objection to the proposed changes in our out October 2021 letter (attached for reference), we offer the following comments based on information obtained in the board meetings. • The Zoning Board voted 4:1 against the proposal and the Planning Board voted 3 to 3. Although the boards and we acknowledge that there is a current shortage of housing in Bozeman, several concerns related to this proposal were brought up including: • There is/will be ample B-2M zoning in the area already and adding a small parcel immediately adjacent to existing R-2 housing in a residential neighborhood is not good policy. • There would be no buffers between the parcel proposed to be changed from R-2 to B-2M (i.e. southern parcel in application) and adjacent R-2 parcels to the south. Unlike other businesses in the area, there is no street or alley between these parcels. The current R-2 southern parcel owned by the applicant is the buffer. • The applicant stated several times that he did not really care if the R-2 lot in question was zoned as B-2M. His interest was in providing housing. As mentioned in our earlier letter, as currently zoned (R-2), the southern parcel could be split and provide ample residential housing for the community. • The proponent stated in the Planning Board Meeting that they had active plans to move production off site. This was not mentioned in the Zoning Board meeting. If that is the case, then changing the northern parcel from M- 1 to B-2M would enable them to maintain the retails aspect of the business while allowing flexibility in future development. We do not see a need for the zoning change of the southern parcel. • The request to change the southern parcel to B-2M while moving the production off site could be interpreted as “drop in” zoning to allow for overly high density of housing units in a thriving R-2 residential community without any buffer. If not the current applicant, a future owner could do so. We believe this is not the intent of the city planners and commissioners. Finally, we understand that Bozeman is a vibrant and growing community and the job of planning and managing that growth is challenging. However, for the reasons stated above and in our October 19, 2021 letter, as well as the concerns articulated by the Planning and Zoning Boards, we do not feel that the proposed zoning change from R-2 to B-2M for the southern parcel is warranted, particularly given that current zoning already permits the building of additional housing and the potential impacts on a long- established, thriving residential neighborhood. Thank you for your consideration, time and often thankless hard work. We appreciate it. Ed and Terra Spotts October 19, 2021 To: City of Bozeman Attn: City Commission PO Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59771 From: Ed and Terra Spotts Re: Mountains Walking Brewery Zoning Change Request for BLOCK 50, Lots 18 - 20, PLAT C-23 Madams and Sirs, We are the owners of the property at 809 East Fridley Street in Bozeman. This property is adjacent to and immediately south of the property/parcel for which the zoning change is requested. We have owned the property since 2003. We have reviewed the Mountains Walking zoning change application and we object to the request to change the zoning from R3 to B-2M for several reasons: • The application notes in several places that the change in zoning will add community benefits and provide a place for the community to gather and socialize. This is already the case with this business and the proposed zoning change would not add to this attribute. Rather, it would likely result in an increase in traffic and activity in a residential neighborhood related to the brewery operations. • The application touts the providing of employee housing. While this is an admirable goal, the property in question already provides residential housing and is zoned as such that additional housing units could be constructed on the property under its current zoning. • Mountains Walking knew that they were building a brewery immediately adjacent to a residential neighborhood and had to be aware that the current location and zoning could lead to potential limits on future expansion. That is a risk the business decided to take and we do not feel that it should be ameliorated at the expense of neighbors and the neighborhood through a zoning change. • We feel that the expansion of the business will hurt the livability of our property as well as result in a reduction in value. Finally, we have corresponded with, and reviewed in detail the letter provided by, Kristin and Ken VanDeWalle. We agree and support the issues that they have raised in opposition of the proposed zoning changes. Finally, we understand that Bozeman is a vibrant and growing community and flexibility in growth management is necessary in some cases. However, for the reasons stated above as well as the fact that this is a business that operates 365 days per year immediately adjacent to residences, we do not feel that the purported community benefits outweigh the impacts on a long-established, thriving residential neighborhood. Thank you for your consideration, time and hard work. We appreciate it. Ed and Terra Spotts