HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-22 Public Comment - S. Tanner - Bozeman Unified Development Code_ Fraternities and Sororities zoning statusFrom:Stephen Tanner
To:Agenda
Subject:Bozeman Unified Development Code: Fraternities and Sororities zoning status
Date:Tuesday, September 13, 2022 3:24:52 PM
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Dear Mayor and Commissioners of the City of Bozeman, Montana
As a multi-decade homeowner in the city of Bozeman, I have depended on the city’s zoning
codes and the prudence of a variety of city commissioners to protect my investment and inform my decisions regarding improvements. Predictability and reasonable expectations in
the use of adjacent properties, as promised in the code, are paramount to the conservation of the well-being of residents and their support of the city’s community goals and objectives.
It has been brought to my attention that an alteration of the city code, be it error or oversight,
has placed a great number of properties, including my own, in jeopardy of financial damage and threatens our well being, peace and equanimity.
The source of my concern is the current Bozeman Unified Development Code, Table
38.310.030.A, which lumps fraternities and sororities into the Group Living category as a permitted principal use. I don’t know if anyone else was aware, certainly not I, that the
alteration removed the specific and separate non-authorized status of new fraternities in R-S, R-1, R-2 zoning districts. A family home in a residential neighborhood purchased or rented by
a fraternity is not a healthy proposition. Regardless of how small the number of full time member residents, the house becomes the primary hang-out for both resident and non-resident
members and their guests, generating a negative impact on traffic flow and parking; bringing with it noise, random numbers of people, and face it, alcohol use and behaviors not similar or
sympathetic to domestic residential family use. This could be in total contradiction of the zoning intent for one’s tranquil neighborhood.
I urge the Mayor and Commissioners of the city of Bozeman to approve a Zone Text
Amendment to specifically restore fraternities and sororities to their prior separate zoning status as Fraternities and Sororities, not to be included in Group Living status, thus not
authorized in R-S, R-1, R-2 and as an authorized use in residential zoning districts R-5 and R-0 and conditional use in R-3 zoning districts.
Stephen Tanner
807 S Grand AveBozeman, MT 59715