HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-19-23 Public Comment - A. Sweeny - Public comment on new city zoningFrom:Alison Sweeney
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public comment on new city zoning
Date:Tuesday, September 19, 2023 7:41:25 AM
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Howdy Neighbors,
I hope this email finds you well.
Tonight the city commission will meet to discuss the latest draft of a new unified development
code for Bozeman.
Please show up to voice your opinion!
6pm Tonight at the commission meeting room located at 121 N. Rouse Ave.
If you can’t show up in person, please submit public comment here:
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/administration/city-clerk/public-comment
Or email agenda@bozeman.net
Here is where you can view changes to the zoning map:https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f9346d3275fe444b8cd20755f0939815
And if you click on the link located just above the embedded map where it describes the new
districts you’ll be able to see what will be allowed in our neighborhood in the future.
I find their images to be misleading.
Our neighborhood will now become zoned RA. The city will now describe this as “residentiallow density.” But it’s actually adopting much higher density, across-the-board.
Here is the cute little image they used to describe the new zone RA.
Not bad, right? Kinda looks like where we live now. They are showing you the best possible
outcome with the least disruption in this image. The problem comes when a developer buysmultiple current single-family homes in a row and is able to build dwellings with up toeight units. These multi unit dwellings will be allowed three stories with 120 ft. wide and 120feet deep.
So, instead of ending up with individual single-family homes, which is arguably what createsthe flavor of our neighborhood, we end up with something like this:
They’re illustrating the adorable first image, without representing the other possible outcomes.This is NOT maintaining the character of our neighborhood. And it’s dishonest.
So there are the facts.
I will share with you how this makes me feel; Incredibly sad! The death of the backyard. Thedeath of the front yard! It feels like a war on the single family home, and the life thatgenerations of us have built here. Many of us will no longer be able to see the mountains fromour homes. Why do we live here? Why do we love our neighborhood? Why do people fromoutlying areas come to our neighborhood to walk their dog or enjoy the evening air? Becauseour built environment affects us! Because WE have families. Because WE have gardens.Because our single-family homes are welcoming and built on a human scale. I’m sure youhave your own reasons for loving our neighborhood. It’s why you live here.
If we don’t want it to change into something unrecognizable in the next few years, we DOneed to voice our opinion to the city commission, who is ultimately going to decide our fate.
Thank you for acting,
-Alison