HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-30-23 Public Comment - C. & D. Cameron - 1801 & 1805 Willow Way Annexation, App 23016May 30, 2023
Bozeman City Commission
121 North Rouse Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59715
CATHERINE C. CAMERON
DAVID M. CAMERON
1705 WILLOW WAY
BOZEMAN MT 59715
RE: Annexation and Initial Zone Map Amendment for 1801 and 1805 Willow Way/Tracts 7
and 8 of Beatty' Subdivision, S13, T02S, ROSE
Commissioners:
Cassie and Mike Cameron are writing to protest the above referenced Annexation and Initial
Zone Map Amendment.
Our reasons are as follows:
Predicted Results Stated in the Zone Map Amendment (ZMA} Narrative
In their letter to the City of Bozeman Planning Department dated January 16, 2023, C&H
Engineering and Surveying, Inc., has admitted that changing the zoning of 1801 and 1805
Willow Way to R-4 will increase the density on those properties. They further state that the
proposed rezoning will result in far more traffic on Willow Way.
Neighborhood Impacts
The homes on Willow Way are zoned R-S, and those on Alder Court are zone R-2. Rezoning of
1801 and 1805 to R-4 is completely inconsistent with all other properties on Willow Way. The
only R-4 zoning is south of Kagy and this density is not allowed in R-S zoning. Increasing the
"R-4 zoning creep" will destroy the character of R-S neighborhoods and contribute to a
preponderance of high density new housing ir:i Bozeman.
Traffic Impacts
Despite the connection of Kagy Blvd from 11 th to 19th Avenue and the paving of Willow Way, the
latter had remained a quiet street until the building of high density housing to the south of Kagy.
Willow Way was a narrow two lane county road with a barrow pit along one side that was not
built to sustain the present rate of use. An increase in high density, R-4 housing will make
matters worse.
Because there is no left turn from Lincoln onto 19th• Willow Way is now used for heavier traffic
than was intended as vehicles speed along Willow Way to go from Lincoln to Kagy. A simple
solution for alleviating traffic on Willow Way would be to allow left turns from Lincoln onto 19th
with some modification of that intersection and utilizing the traffic signal recently placed there.
Safety
Traffic has increased tremendously on Willow Way with no regard for safety as vehicles speed
well over the limit to reach Kagy from Lincoln. Because there are no sidewalks and the street is
narrow, foot traffic and skateboarders are in the street, and there is no room for a bicycle lane.
The present conditions with speeding traffic are extremely unsafe. Winter conditions were a
clear justification for making all of Willow Way a no parking zone because of safety issues.
Rezoning 1801 and 1805 Willow Way to R-4 will make the situation worse and endanger
walkers, bike riders, skateboarders and occupants of other vehicles.
Failure to Provide Justification
In their letter dated January 16, 2023, C&H Engineering and Surveying, Inc., to the City of
Bozeman Planning Department give no justification for rezoning 1801 and 1805 Willow Way to
R-4. The engineers do not claim that rezoning is necessary to hook up the two houses in Tracts
7 and 8 of Beatty's subdivisions to city sewer and water services. These two properties can be
hooked up to the City's utilities without changing the zoning to R-4.
Conclusions
There is no justification for changing the zoning of 1801 and 1805 Willow Way/Tracts 7 and 8
of Beatty' Subdivision, S13, T02S, ROSE to R-4. Changing the zoning to R-4 will result in
dangerous increases in traffic and irrevocable damage to the character of the neighborhoods on
Willow Way and Alder Court.
Our property will be greatly injured if the Bozeman City Commission approves this zoning
request, and we ask that the request be denied.
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Catherine C. Cameron