HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-06-22 Public Comment - C. Nelson - Canyon Gate Development Project No_ 21337From:Catherine Nelson
To:Agenda
Cc:Jacob Miller
Subject:Canyon Gate Development Project No: 21337
Date:Thursday, January 6, 2022 5:08:01 PM
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Hi. My name is Catherine and I have lived on Boylan Road for 20 years. I am very concerned about the proposed
Canyon Gate project and urge you, the city commissioners, to vote against this plan because it will cause manyproblems in our residential neighborhood. My concerns are the following.
1. The impact of the current proposal will create major traffic problems. Story Mill and Bridger Drive is a very busyintersection at various times of day in general and especially during ski season. The traffic from Bridger Bowl andCrosscut has been increasing over the years. There is a long line of traffic that makes it a major problem in trying tomake a left hand turn on to Bridger from Story Mill or Story Mill to Bridger Drive. There are lines of cars going toand from Rouse and Oak in the morning and afternoons already. Waiting for the trains to pass which can take 10-15minutes makes the lines of traffic even longer. These delays impact the intersection at Oak and Rouse while cars areall waiting for the trains to pass through and the line of cars are often greater than the space for the cars. Heavenforbid there should be an ambulance that can’t cross the tracks at either Griffin or Rouse. In the winter it is frequentfor the ambulance to drive on Bridger Drive to go to the hospital because of skiing accidents. There are already newmixed use homes being built next to the park on Bridger and there will be an increase of traffic at the Story MillIntersection with the new residents. The Canyon Gate project is designed to bring in a very large number ofresidents and cars.
*I recommend that we maintain the low density residential district R-2 for the 21 acres.
2. A large commercial structure of 4-5 stories and the high density of apartment/condo buildings of Canyon Gatedoes not at all “fit" with our residential community where children and adults ride bicycles, people jog, and schoolbuses come by to pick up the children. There are trails along the road everyone uses on both Story Mill and also onBridger Drive. Such a large 4-5 story business building should be placed in a downtown location, for example wherethe Dollar store is located off of Main Street. That would be a much better architectural “fit” with the surroundingbusiness structures, and better to handle the density of traffic for all the apartments and condos units that areplanned.
*I recommend that we maintain the low density residential district R-2 for the 21 acres.
3. The people who own the surrounding homes and condos in our community fully understand the urge and demandin Bozeman for new housing but it is equally imperative to consider the impact on the residents whenever there is anew planned development. I have not met one owner who would want to see this high rise density construction ofcondos and town houses along with a commercial high rise building.
*I recommend that we maintain the low density residential district R-2 for the 21 acres.
4. I do not see any plans for "open space" in the Canyon Gate plan. It is reported that the developer plans on “doingcash in leu of open space.” We are near the foothills and mountains and want to keep and protect open space and thenatural habitat for the wild animals that live in the area. Those 21 acres have been natural collectors of snow andwater coming down from the nearby hills. We are in climate change; we have a current shortage of water, droughtconditions, shorter winters, less snowfall and faster run off in the spring. We must take into consideration theimportance of protecting and maintaining “open space” especially in this location. All predictions indicate anincreasing shortage of water in this region in the years ahead. There would be a heavy demand on water if theCanyon Gate plan went through as is. The Canyon Gate proposal shows no consideration for one of the most basicreasons home owners have chosen to live in this part of Bozeman. There is no amount of money that could begin to
compensate for the loss of “open space” in our community.
*I recommend that we maintain the low density residential district R-2 for the 21 acres.
I trust that each of you as home owners who live here in Bozeman will appreciate our concerns and objections toCanyon Gate and will vote against this plan. Thank you for your time and your willingness to serve as a citycommissioner.
Sincerely, Catherine Nelson