HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-25-22 Public Comment - R. Brey - R-MH ZoningFrom:Ron Brey
To:Agenda
Subject:R-MH zoning
Date:Friday, February 25, 2022 8:47:16 PM
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2/25/22
Mayor Andrus and members of the commission;
I have lived in Montana all my life. For me and many of my native Montana acquaintances,
mobile home living in mobile home parks was a critical step as we transitioned through
housing options. The economics of the time were so different from today that I can't begin
to compare situations but I do know from first hand experience that such housing is a
significant element of a community’s affordable housing stock.
I came to Bozeman in 1987 as a senior planner with zoning responsibilities. I soon
discovered that, while the City of Bozeman technically complied with the law in providing
areas zoned R-MH (residential - mobile home) there was a de facto ban on the new
placement of mobile (and manufactured) homes. Every area with R-MH zoning that didn’t
already have mobile homes in place, had private covenants prohibiting such use. Many
existing mobile homes were non-conforming uses in other zoning districts, prohibiting their
significant improvement or replacement and there was no opportunity for the establishment
of new mobile home parks.
In the late 1980s, Annie Subdivision was approved as a mobile home subdivision with long
narrow lots designed to accommodate the geometry of manufactured homes. As soon as
the first home was placed, the subdivision was redesigned and either zoning was changed
or else covenants were put into place to preclude the placement of any additional
manufactured homes. If you explore the northern end of Annie subdivision, I believe the
lone manufactured home is still in place.
My point in reciting this history is to express my belief, undocumented, that Bozeman has
fewer mobile or manufactured homes than most other western communities of similar size,
even before we removed 100+ units at Bridger View. This housing makes up a critical part
of a community’s affordable housing stock. I would therefore encourage you to establish an
R-MH district that allows not just manufactured homes but also manufactured home parks.
In so doing, the City would also need to establish a mechanism to either preclude
prohibition covenants or be a party to the covenants themselves to assure no bans are put
in place.
Thank you for your continued efforts in this regard.
Ron Brey
1106 S. 3rd
Bozeman, MT 59715