HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-02-23 Public Comment - K. Erbe - Canyon Gate CommentsFrom:Kareen Erbe
To:Agenda
Subject:Canyon Gate Comments
Date:Sunday, April 2, 2023 5:01:42 PM
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Dear Community Development Board,
I am writing to express some of my concerns in regards to the Canyon Gate Development.
1) Increased Traffic and concern for emergency vehicles: As I write this email in my home on
Bridger Drive, one vehicle is passing my house every second. This is not an exaggeration. Theaddition of 4000 extra trips/day because of this development needs to be addressed. Over the
past 10 years that I have lived here, I have been stopped for over 15 minutes at a railroadcrossing on multiple occasions. Sometimes trains are stopped in the middle of the crossing for
no apparent reason. Delays are common and I'm unclear as to how the City thinks this is safeto add more traffic in this area. There will be regular congestion that will likely back traffic up
to Northview Street or farther during rush hour. In an emergency, that delay could create a lifethreatening situation.
2) Lack of adequate parkland in the development. The proposed parkland of 3.07 acres is
inadequate to replace the 24 acres of wildlife corridor that currently exist. This parklandshould be expanded to mitigate the impact this development will have on local deer, wild
turkey, raptor and other bird populations. With wild areas shrinking in the city, I ask that youconsider the bigger picture of wildlife habitat and its importance to the health and well-being
of city residents.
Lastly, I would just like to say that I am deeply disturbed by the ongoing development inBozeman and the lack of push back from the city commissioners to hold developers more
accountable.
In the case of this particular applicant, his main motive seems to be profit. Canyon Gate won'tprovide more affordable housing for the working people of Bozeman. Instead, these will likely
be $700,000 + homes available to a small group of people, some of whom will probably onlylive here part-time.
More than once, I've heard city commissioners say that this is 'just the way it is' and we long-
time residents just have to be more welcoming and adjust to change. When I see wildlifehabitat being lost and with it, a certain quality of life, when I see increased traffic and
congestion, when the values that are reflected are ones of maximizing profit and so-called'economic progress', I don't see the 'Resilient City' that Bozeman is aiming to be, I see a city
that will quickly push out those of us who are actually contributing to making this acommunity.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kareen Erbe
1505 Bridger DriveBozeman
LastlThe pr