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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-24-22 Public Comment - M. Wictor - Public Comment inputs THU 3-24-2022 & Parking -- potential impacts of newly code adoptions for ADUsFrom:Mary Wictor To:Agenda Subject:Public Comment inputs THU 3/24/2022 & PARKING--potential impacts of newly code adoptions for ADUs Date:Thursday, March 24, 2022 2:57:21 PM Attachments:2022-03-23 WED Yahoo Mail - written Public Comment Parking-Traffic ISSUES A-F.pdf 2021-11-30 pdf Chronical Editorial Board of 7--Watch the impacts of ADUs changes closely.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. To: City of Bozeman management / leadership / staff as appropriate, &all City Commissioners, & Boards specifically including the following: Transportation Advisory Board (including ParkingCommission role) & Community Development Board Yesterday, WED 3/23/2022 6pm I attended Virtually the Transportation Board and spoke during Public Comment on issues related to transportation and Parking. WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT--Deadlines & Process 1) I agree with Marilee Brown who made the first verbal Public Comment that it is NOT clear when writteninputs emailed in are provided to Board members. Ms. Brown commented that she learned that even items submitted well in advance, are forwarded just 6 hours prior. In contacting the City Clerk's office a few months ago, [as I do try to research my inputs sometimes rightup to target times/deadlines], I had heard there were/are the following times for which WRITTEN PublicComment is to be received, stored, and links forwarded: 4:00pm MON deadline for Board meeting(s), and a12noon TUE deadline for City Commission, and a 3:30pm THU deadline for written public comments that might be for anything the next week or even justupcoming. Per those deadlines, I heard the City Clerk's office puts on Laser Fische any comments by topic or project and provides it to the indicated Commission and/or Boards. However, I honestly am not sure that those are ever received or read by one or more Board members. It would help if times/requirements and sequences can be made to be better known, and for perhapseach Meeting to indicate X# of written inputs received. That would be useful for the Public [and alsoperhaps for Board members to know/confirm in their preparation(s).] I am truly grateful and appreciate that the City of Bozeman does provide verbal and Virtual opportunitiesto give input directly, but it is NOT clear how written inputs are processed--and most of all, that they should make it to intended Boards/members with enough time for them to be read/reviewed. 2) Post-Meeting WRITTEN inputs as follow-up and/or to provide info/data TODAY THU 3/24/2022, I am writing POST-the-meetings held this week. It can be very useful towatch/listen to the meeting, provide verbal input, and then followup with a write-up of those thoughts orpoints, and/or provide data that seems very useful to consider. [I am not sure that this approach issupported by your processes.] I hope that ideas/issues mentioned verbally can be addressed appropriately later--or responsessometimes given during that meeting! Attached is a .pdf print of my email I sent AFTER the Transportation Board meeting on 3/23/2022 which I had spoken from (timemark 33:16 - 36:25 min/sec). While Work Plan Items & Descriptions are being drafted and adopted, I hope that issues I have listed will be addressed by the appropriate Boards,City Staff for code/covenants/deed restrictions (e.g., for any ADU to specify where parking is allowed) ORgenerally as Unified Development Code (UDC) updates are considered this year and a next, etc. Also, as A. in my first attached file, I raise again concern for Parking with ADU code changes. Maybe thisis a parking concern, or small, or perhaps best-handled when the ADU is permitted and built by ensuringthe OWNERs and USERs (those renting) clearly understand about where parking is allowed, and mostlikely that it will only include INside the garage/carport, and or but juggling cars in the driveway of theprimary dwelling unit. {Personal experience over many decades of living is that folks often use garagesfor storage, not parking.} https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/editorials/editorial-watch-the-impacts-of-adu-changes-closely/article_a49de572-d5a4-5af2-b820-ed70c5f44254.html Last, following this meetings this week, it does seem that Parking topics and issues are being considered at this time by the City. Thus, at the BDC site, I did a search for "impacts ADU" and an editorial from 30-Nov-2021 popped up. Rather than being just from one person, it is from the Chronicle Editorial Board (7 names). I hope that by providing my longer A-F list of issues/concerns along with the BDC articleregarding my A./ADUs and reduced parking--potential impacts can and will be addressed as best mightbe handled, BEFORE ADUs may abound. {In case the BDC link above does not work, the article text is attached as the 2nd .pdf for Public Commentrelated to ADUs/Impacts.} Thank you for your time, efforts, and service to the City of Bozeman and communities. I really appreciatebeing able to offer these inputs. Sincerely, Mary WictorOwner: 1504 Boylan Rd, Bozeman, MT Attached: two (2) .pdf files Editorial: Watch the impacts of ADU changes closely • By the Chronicle Editorial Board Bozeman city commissioners appear ready to pull out all the stops in their quest to alleviate the city’s housing crisis. Their latest tactic is to pull back some requirements for building accessory dwelling units, rentable spaces over garages or in-home add-ons. The commissioners are commended for using their imaginations and exploring all possible options. But they may want to slow down a bit on this one. Their actions could have unintended — and undesirable — consequences. The first steps the commission took recently were to eliminate minimum parking requirements and change the pedestrian street access each unit must have. Then they asked city staff to bring more changes for consideration — raising the occupancy limit from two to four people and increasing the allowable size from 600 to 800 square-feet. More habitable space is a good idea. But what are the risks? Increasing the density of population in already crowded parts of the city could exacerbate already scarce parking availability. What will a sharp increase in parking density do to street traffic? Will more people exceed the capacity of the city’s sewer system? What if ADUs are turned in to short-term vacation rentals — adding to an existing problem of too many of Airbnb rentals in some neighborhoods? Commissioners might also research why the restrictions were adopted in the first place. Are those reasons still valid? And they should also ask what has happened in other cities that relaxed requirements for ADUs. Truth be told, easing restrictions on this type of rental may not lead to a wholesale increase in their number. As the commissioners noted, construction costs are so high they may discourage most homeowners from pursuing an ADU on their property. To be sure, figuring out ways to increase the number of rentable apartments in the city is a laudable goal. Finding a place to live is big challenge for many Montana State University students. And, with MSU enrollment on the rise in recent years, the situation is only going to get worse. Easing restrictions on ADUs is an easy step to take in the short term. But if doing so creates even bigger problems, re-imposing restrictions in the future won’t be so easy. • Mark Dobie, publisher • Michael Wright, managing editor • Bill Wilke, opinion page editor • Richard Broome, community member • Renee Gavin, community member • Charles Rinker, community member • Will Swearingen, community member • Angie Wasia, community member To send feedback on editorials, either leave a comment on the page below or write to citydesk@dailychronicle.com.