HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-11-23 Public Comment - K. Powell - Community Dev Board - comments for Sept 11 meeting on proposed new UDC draftFrom:KPowell & S Griswold
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Subject:[EXTERNAL]Community Dev Board - comments for Sept 11 meeting on proposed new UDC draft
Date:Sunday, September 10, 2023 9:36:29 PM
Attachments:kpowell UDC letter com dev bd 9-9-23.pdf
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Hello
Please send the attached letter to the members of the Community Development Board before
their Mon Sept 11 meeting.Thank you
Kathy Powell
powellgriz@icloud.com406-600-1164
Sept 9, 20223
TO: City of Bozeman Community Development Advisory Board
FROM: Kathy Powell
RE: Concerns about proposed new UDC
The proposed new UDC is important! It will shape Bozeman for decades to come.
I have been reading the proposed UDC & talking to my neighbors in the University Neighbors Assoc & in other
Bozeman neighborhoods.
The current UDC can benefit from reorganizaSon & rewriSng but it needs to beTer address the stated intent of
this new Chapter 38., which is “to recognize & balance the various rights and responsibiliSes relaSng to land
ownership” . That includes balancing the importance of neighborhoods & development.
I and others have some serious concerns that the city is not looking to balance neighborhoods & development.
People are upset at what the city is trying to do to neighborhoods in the name of affordable housing &
increased density. Our main concerns are:
1. Combining R1, R-2 and R-3 into a new R-A zoning district
Combining the current R-1, R-2 & R-3 into a new R-A zoning district is too big of a jump.
To go from single family/ADUs & single family/ ADUs/ duplexes to an 8-unit building, 10,000sq ^ 3 stories high
is shocking. Such a change is too radical & would have a huge impact on long established neighborhood
livability.
Yes. more housing is needed especially affordable housing. However, blowing up R-1 and R-2 neighborhoods
with 8-unit buildings potenSally 3 stories high is NOT balancing neighborhoods & development. It is giving a
financial boon to developers and investors. Homeowners in R-1 & R-2 have financially invested in their homes
& have created a local livable neighborhood community. InserSng a large 8 unit building in R-1 & R-2 areas
damages those neighborhoods, can block home solar roof systems, reduce daylighSng to homes (increasing
energy bills) & damage the viability of trees & other vegetaSon due to too much shade. It would also increase
traffic & parking street congesSon. This proposed change definitely does NOT recognize or balance
neighborhoods & development that the city keeps saying is important.
In addiSon, the proposed apartment/ large buildings in current R-1 & R-2 will not be affordable in the current
real estate market. They will be expensive. Affordable housing will happen only with projects that the city
helps fund, finding significant tax credits &/or using grants.
A Viable Compromise: Many people (not all) can adjust & live with a less radical change in R-1 & R-2.
Splieng R-A into an R-A1 & R-A2 could be such a compromise, where:
R-A1 is similar to the current R-1 & 2 but allowing a max of 3 unit buildings 2 stories high
& R-A2 is similar to the current R-3 but allowing a max of 6-8 units, 3 stories high & a max of 8-10,000 sq ^.
This could be a win-win soluSon for both the city’s goals of increased density & meeSng the needs of
established neighborhoods.
I encourage the Community Development Board to recommend to the City Commission to split the proposed
R-A into R-A1 and R-A2 zoning districts.
2. New Fraternity & Sorority Houses
A recent GallaSn County court decision has returned lisSng New Fraternity & Sorority Houses to what it was in
the UDC code in 2017, which listed Fraternity & Sorority Houses as a separate residenSal Use allowed in R-3
(condiSonally ), R-4 & other more intense residenSal & commercial zoning districts. They are not allowed in
R-1 or R-2.
Missoula & Billings’ municipal code list Fraternity & Sorority Houses as a separate Use under Group Living &
require that new Fraternity & Sorority Houses be allowed in zoning districts similar to Bozeman’s R-3, R-4 &
more dense zoning districts but not allowed in primarily residenSal neighborhoods similar to Bozeman’s R-1 &
R-2.
This is again important for neighborhood livability. A recent new fraternity house was set up a year ago in a
rented 4-bedroom house on Garfield. 5 men lived there but the fraternity had 50 members that came regularly
for meeSngs, events & parSes. This surprised & upset adjacent neighbors as they thought fraterniSes were not
allowed in R-2. They did not know that the UDC had been changed in 2018. (illegally). It caused a lot of fricSon
& stress between the fraternity & neighbors due to noise, chaos, liTer and crowds. Calling police did not help.
This can be avoided by allowing new Greek Houses only in denser zoning districts. There are potenSally places
at MSU that have historically accommodated new Greek Houses that need to be revisited.
I encourage the Community Development Board to recommend to the City Commission to:
List Fraternity & Sorority Houses (current houses are grandfathered) as a separate Use under Group Living &
be allowed in zoning Districts RA-2, R-B & addiRonal denser zoning districts. They would not be allowed in R-
A1
Thank you for discussing these concerns & potential solutions. I & others will have additional points to make
at the public hearing Sept 18.
Kathy Powell 1215 S 3rd, Bozeman 59715 406-600-1164 powellgriz@icloud.com