HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-16-23 Public Comment - T. Andreasen - Gran Cielo II, #22090 Annexation and Zoning DesignationFrom:Tanya Andreasen
To:Agenda
Subject:Gran Cielo II, #22090 Annexation and Zoning Designation
Date:Sunday, April 16, 2023 6:00:06 PM
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 Community Development Board Members, City Staff, and the applicant team members,
Thank you for the opportunity to submit my thoughts for you consideration. I hope you will consider the following
in your deliberations about this 80+ acre annexation and zoning designation application.
The applicant has requested that the entire annexation be designated as R-4, high density zoning, across two parcels.
I urge you to consider R-3 zoning designation for the eastern parcel, and R-4 for the western parcel. A few things to
consider:
- Fowler is intended to be built out as an arterial, connecting the southern end of our valley near Hyalite, all the way
to Valley Center Road by the new Billings Clinic. As an arterial, high density and commercial development/uses
(R4) are expected or more in character, and best served by this level of infrastructure. Graf and South 27th are
collectors and should serve a lower traffic burden and development intensity. Fowler should serve higher density
and traffic.
- The City of Bozeman generally tries to encourage mixed development of home types, across existing and
particularly new neighborhoods. One way to encourage this mix is to vary zoning. Designating a more intense
zoning district to the western parcel in this case allows for apartments and high intensity development to occur with
this annexation, meeting some of the home development goals/needs of the city. Designating the eastern parcel at a
slightly lower intensity at R3 provides for a transition between the existing single family neighborhoods in Meadow
Creek, while still allowing for mixed home types with intensities up to the limited apartment home type (8 units in
one building). Meadow Creek is designated as R3, but is built out at a much lower intensity as a result of private
decision making in the past, and is mostly single family homes. Building an apartment building with more than 8
units would be a jarring transition to the existing built environment.
- Transition between the existing built environment and the anticipated built environment with a zoning designation
decision is an important point in time decision with permanent impact. I understand that Meadow Creek has been
built at a lower intensity than is allowed by its R3 designation. However, that private decision making occurred in
the past, and now what is - is. I encourage some control over the transition between Meadow Creek’s mostly single
family homes and medium lot sizes to a higher intensity by considering the maximum intensity allowed by the R4
request. If Meadow Creek is built at 5-8 dwelling units per acre and the minimum intensity for R4 is 8 units, that is a
significant change and there is less built in opportunity for a reasonable transition in building height, unit type,
traffic and parking impacts, and so on.
One note about something that gave me pause in the staff report. Please see Section 2, Recommended terms of
annexation, #10. I don’t claim to be a transportation engineer or even understand some of what this paragraph says,
but if the Engineer or others could take a peek at this, I wonder if a higher # of feet should be required or some
clarity in this section added. The language states that a 90 foot right of way should be measured from the center of
the existing street. This makes sense on Graf and Kirk, where the street is built out, but this short section of 27th is
not completed and by using the center line of the “existing” street, this could mean that right of way isn’t calculated
as it should be. Should the language read in a different way to provide this clarity? Just a lay-person question, and
hoping for clarity. Selfishly and honestly, that utility easement and right of way measurement could provide some
distance between my single level home and a tall building.
I realize that this set of decisions before you doesn’t include consideration of actual planning for the site, aside
setting the limitations and allowances that zoning provides. However, I want to say that the eagle’s nest on the
property is enormous and very active. I’ve spend hundreds of hours watching that field and the busy eagles and
other wildlife. The eagle’s nest is active and just an hour ago I watched one of the pair hunt and bring back food to
the nest. I hope the property owners will be good stewards of that nest to the best of their ability. I know that
sometimes the eagles are exterminated or their nest disrupted in order to avoid the hassle of protecting them. I hope
that doesn’t happen in this case.
I also wonder about storm water and the high water table. This is a property with an active ditch, running high in thesummer, riparian area and wetlands. My home has a crawl space, as do many others in Meadow Creek. I really hopethat not only are the new homes slab on grade, but that there is special care in managing water on and off site.
In that same vein, I notice that the Gran Cielo I open space is very curated - lovely, but urban. Meadow Creek’sopen space is more rustic, paying homage to the wetlands and natural beauty of the cottonwoods, grasses, birds, andwater. I hope that the developer will consider leaning towards this more natural concept of open space for GranCielo II, as it will leave more natural habitat for the creatures who currently inhabit that place.
The property I live on is 8 year old greenfield development. I don’t claim to be special or without ownership of ourcommunity’s growth. I’m part of it. I hope my ideas will have influence, and that I can provide ideas andsuggestions that will be added value to this new development. I’ll do my best to track on the discussions anddevelopments around this set of decisions.
Thank you for the work you do for our community.
Respectfully,
Tanya Andreasen3229 South 26th AvenueBozeman, MT 59718
Sent from my iPad