HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-16-23 Public Comment - B. Rust - Zoning changesFrom:Bertie
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Zoning changes
Date:Saturday, September 16, 2023 8:39:46 AM
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Dear City Commissioners: My husband and I have been Bozeman residents since 1978. We moved here
wanting to make our life and raise our children here. We were renters when there
weren’t many rentals available. We bought a then relatively new to Bozemancondo when interest rates were high. We saved for a down payment, and werefinally able to buy a single family home in a nice, but not new, neighborhood in
1988. Our children were able to walk to school and made good friends in the
neighborhood. We have made lifelong friends in our neighborhood where we care
about one another and care for our property. By and by, young families havemoved into the neighborhood, their children are able to walk to school and make
friends in the neighborhood. We all value the neighborhood and our quality of life
in our neighborhood. We are good, responsible homeowners and want to see that
the quality of our neighborhood is protected and preserved.
I am and many others are vehemently opposed the proposed rezoning.
Aggressively attacking the existing R-1 neighborhoods with the proposed rezoning
by allowing Short Term Rentals and apartment buildings will only benefitdevelopers and absentee landlords and will do nothing to solve the current housing
crisis and potentially will change the individual characteristics of neighborhoods.
There will be nothing to stop developers from buying properties and tearing downdwellings in order to build apartment buildings that aren’t appropriate for the
already existing neighborhoods and will certainly destroy the existing “community”
of the neighborhoods. These neighborhoods were nether designed nor intended for
high density. Apartment buildings and Mini Hotels—Short Term Rentals—withpeople moving in and out every few days does nothing to preserve this sense of
“community” and pride of place that neighborhoods in Bozeman have. Frequently,
absentee landlords do not take care of their rental properties as a resident owner
does. Landscaping and yards may become overgrown and unsightly, snow removalmight be ignored.
What’s the hurry? The firm tasked with the rewriting of the map acknowledged that
this is a much more aggressive approach than many of their clients with similarissues of growth have done. Why is this being pursued so aggressively? The
timetable that you have placed on accomplishing these changes seems unreasonableand foolhardy. This MUST be better thought through with an eye to the future
ramifications and what it will do to the integrity and quality of the neighborhoods.
Please reconsider these proposed changed and remember that Bozeman has been abeautiful community because of the diverse neighborhoods and mix of housingchoices.
Respectfully, Bertie Rust
114 W. Arnold
Bozeman, MT 59715