HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-21-23 Public Comment - C. Fifer - Public CommentFrom:Carol Fifer
To:Agenda
Subject:Public Comment
Date:Saturday, January 21, 2023 12:24:17 PM
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Dear Commissioners,
The City has requested the retail merchants solve a parking problem created by theCommission itself.
Developers have asked the City to give up public parking spaces for the exclusive use of thedevelopers for profit enterprise. By doing so the City has placed the private financial interest
of an individual or business above the interests of its own citizens. This istotally unacceptable.
Developers claim their project will bring added revenue to the City in the form of tax dollarsand retail sales.
If there has been a significant increase in tax revenue the citizens of Bozeman need to be madeaware of those dollars and exactly how they have been used to benefit us.
An increase in retail sales for merchants has also meant a major decrease in repeat business bylocal residents because they now avoid the Main Street area due to a lack of parking. A visitor
buys a trinket or souvenir tee shirt and leaves. A local residents ceases shopping at a clothingstore, shoe store, book or record store because they can't drive around town for half an hour
looking for parking. How many of our small local merchants have closed their doors? Developers enrich their personal selves at the expense of our entire community.
Any and all construction must be required to provide for 100% of their parking needs withinthe site itself. This includes residential as well as commercial structures. On street parking
must not enter into the equation. On street parking must be reserved for the sole purpose of acustomer visiting a business on a short term basis or an acquaintance visiting a resident, again
for a limited number of hours. Underground parking is an option as well as the use of lower floors of a building. Residential
structure requirements should be brought up to current occupancy expectations. Parkingshould be provided for a minimum of two autos or trucks per unit. You can't realistically
expect three or four college students sharing a condo to have only one vehicle.
Developers are going to wail and moan they can't afford to comply with such parkingrequirements and will ask for increased building heights or variance from parking
requirements. Do not listen to or honor their demands. Increased building heights only servesto create a cold, hostile environment along the streets such as Main Street. It would become a
dark canyon and block the stunning views of the Bridger's that have made our town uniqueand loved.
One of the expressions we learned here in Montana is "take care of your own darn self." That's what needs to happen in our building codes. And express that thought to developers.
We all know one in particular that needs to hear it from our Commission.
Carolyn A. Fifer
1007 Buckrake Ave, Bozeman, MT 59718
406 451 3880catfifer@gmail.com