Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-17-23 Public Comment - B. Ekey and K. Thomas - Ekey-Thomas comments on UDC for Community Development BoardFrom:Bob Ekey To:Agenda Subject:[EXTERNAL]Ekey-Thomas comments on UDC for Community Development Board Date:Sunday, September 17, 2023 5:44:05 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. Sept. 17. 2023 To: Community Development Board members From: Bob Ekey and Kris Thomas Re: Proposed UDC zoning code changes We request the city delay any UDC zoning change implementation until the community has a better understanding of the long-term effects of this important decision. The changes being proposed for some neighborhoods carry significant potential for unintended consequences that would forever change the character of existing neighborhoods. What does the 10-, 20- or 30-year build out look like? We deserve to know what the goal is with these changes and what the tangible changes will be on the ground. How will the potential for build out of a factor up to 8 per lot affect the Historic District? Is the Historic District still important to the city? When we purchased our home on South 6th Avenue 32 years ago, we studied the R-2 zoning and historic district criteria and felt comfortable investing our money and sweat equity into restoring the home, which had been sorely neglected. We viewed the zoning and historic district requirements as a contract between ourselves and the city. We were glad to comply with historic district criteria for several improvement projects as our part of the contract. The high quality of character of the Southside is due in part to city leadership regarding zoning and historic district regulations. The city documents around this change discuss diversity within neighborhoods but is silent on the issue of diversity of neighborhoods. The city benefits from a diversity of neighborhoods, as part of the attractive character of Bozeman. Our neighborhood is zone R-2, and the majority of dwelling units on our block have basement apartments, including our home. Knowing what we and some of our neighbors charge for rent, these basement apartments are some of the best affordable housing available in the city. Any new construction will mean more housing, but we doubt they will be affordable – especially considering the track record of new construction in Bozeman during the last decades. We don’t believe Bozeman can build its way out of the affordable housing crisis we have now. And, we don’t believe that aggressive infill of existing neighborhoods will help much with affordability either. The best tools to address affordable housing appear to be subsidized housing and rents. Bozeman remains under a lot of pressure from people moving here, making this the exact time for leadership and vision by the Community Development Board and City Commission. The proposed zoning change would acquiesce that vision and leadership to developers and speculators, allowing them to ultimately decide what our city and neighborhoods will look like. Lastly, as residents of neighborhoods most likely to be affected by these changes, we feel like our contract with the city is being radically changed -- without us being at the table. We request you slow down, give us a chance to ask questions and listen to the answers, seek more studies of the buildout and seek guarantees that citizens will have a seat at the table in the future. Right now, it appears as if once the zoning code is changed, there will be little chance to help guide our neighborhood’s future. Bob Ekey and Kris Thomas 719 South 6th Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715 bobekey6@gmail.com .