HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-03-21 Public Comment - K. Filipovich - North Central Master Site Plan 21029From:Karen Filipovich
To:Agenda
Subject:North Central Master Site Plan (#21029) Comments
Date:Friday, December 3, 2021 4:04:12 PM
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Dear Honorable Commissioners and Planning Staff:
I would like to comment on the North Central Master Site Plan (#21029) as a resident and nearbyneighbor of the proposed multi-building master plan. I respectfully ask that the master plan isrejected in its current form, with specific directions to come with a more nuanced approach thatdirectly addresses the concerns of the neighborhood that is its proposed site.
As the city grows, the new community plan had two goals that provide guidance that pertain to this
project: “a city of neighborhoods,” and “a city bolstered by downtown and complementary
districts.”
This master plan has some elements that support the downtown and complementary districts
theme. It does not support the city of neighborhoods theme. The proposed North Centraldevelopment sits entirely within the northeast neighborhood (NENA) boundaries and has a majorimpact on how the neighborhood looks and operates in the future.
The overall concept plan calls for “455 dwelling units, 20,120 square feet of retail, 15,000 square feet of restaurant, 97,800 square feet of office, 66,000 square feet of hotel space, and 475off-street parking spaces located in integrated structured parking facilities. Thedevelopment is proposed in 4 phases across 9 buildings, four blocks, and includes a total of 4.4 acresof land.”
This is, in addition to the commercial space, a development that will increase the number of housing
units in NENA by almost 50%, adding more than 1,000 new residents (based on median household
size) and hundreds of additional day and short-term users with the proposed office and hotel space.
All those additional people need a place to relax, meet outside and mingle with others in public
spaces. NENA is short of parks now in its geographic area, with only Beall and Centennial/North
Grand Field, triangle park, and a little trail space in its geographic boundaries. While these relatively
small parks are accessible in the sense that Beall is less than the ¼ mile distance cited in the 207
parks plan, this development in total represents a huge jump in total and daytime population within
the borders of NENA. The moves toward more permeability within the complex are appreciated, but
not adequate. Park in lieu fees are going to be almost impossible to use within the boundaries of
NENA, as one of Bozeman’s oldest neighborhoods. Requiring a small park in the 4.4-acre complex,
preferably on the north side of the complex would act as a much-needed public gathering place for
new and existing residents and visitors as well as acting as a transition to the residential
neighborhood and historic district.
The plan also fails the goals of “a city of neighborhoods” because it currently consists of large scale,boxy buildings that are all very similar in size, material and character and very dissimilar to theneighborhood it will be part of. In the last two years, the City of Bozeman and NENA have had aMOU with two professors at MSU who have had conducted extensive studies of neighborhoodcharacter and attitudes. The results are nuanced, and things like “eclectic,” human-scaled” and“enhancing neighborly interactions” are factors that are important factors in why NENA is charmingand livable. This complex has a couple of elements that nod toward that, like the permeability.However, it fails on several other concepts. It has little public space to gather and its plans forbenches and connectivity are weak.
The transition between commercial streetscapes that abut immediate residential neighborhoods is
not sensitive to the current, quiet nature of the immediate neighborhood. Transitions have not been
well worked out. It would be far better to wait for the transitions discussion, the first under the city’snew community engagement plan, to be completed before approving the biggest everredevelopment plan in the heart of Bozeman. Cities are for the people who live in them. As manycities that participated in the big urban redevelopment projects in the 60s and 70s learned, mistakesin built environments are relatively easy to make and take a long time and significant funds torectify, if it is even possible. Taking the time to work out one of Bozeman’s most difficult issues byupdating the transition rules first would be time well spent.
Finally, I’m concerned about the building and sequencing plan for how buildings will be completed
and how surrounding streets, sidewalks and egress in and out of the neighborhood will be affected.
On paper, there is some thought as to using temporary parking, staging for building sites and efforts
to limit blockage of foot and traffic circulation. Practical experience with this and other developer’s
projects to date suggest a more detailed plan that places strict rules on how sidewalks and street
lanes are used during construction are needed. The 16 Willson project, One Eleven and the new
construction immediately north of One Eleven all have had significant impact on traffic and
neighborhood circulation. Currently, North Grand and Beall are both down to one lane and are
expected to be that way for many months. During each construction project, this means significantly
more construction vehicles, either parked in existing parking spots or permanently taking up parking
and a lane of traffic for the duration of the build. In winter, given the plowing situation, this is pretty
untenable and traffic both gets backed up on these active streets and is channeled to other local
streets not meant to take on this traffic. This has gone on for years and will go on for many more
years, negatively impacting neighborhood residents who did not ask for this construction and do not
reap any benefits from it.
Others have written more detail about several other concerns. Please take those and the concernsexpressed here into account as you determine the future course of this master plan. Growth isdriven by many factors, but the direction and utility of what is built to address that growth is in yourhands. Please reject this plan with an invitation to work out a more nuanced, successful approach.
Sincerely,
Karen Filipovich 426 N Grand Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715