HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-10-23 Public Comment - D. Carty - Proposed UDC UpdateFrom:Daniel Carty
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment: Proposed UDC update
Date:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 7:06:49 AM
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(Please post this public comment in the UDC update folder, Application 21381.)
Date: Oct 10, 2023; Time: 7:10 AM
To: City Commission and Community Development Board Subject: Public comment on the proposed UDC update
To date, the City of Bozeman (City) and the Community Development Board (CDB)
have treated discussions about the proposed UDC update as nothing more than a pencil-and-paper exercise. This is both perplexing and saddening because the long-term futures
of Bozeman's natural environment and human population are at stake. Three examplesfollow:
(1) Neither the City nor the CDB has taken time to discuss the pros and cons of the City's
apparent move from traditional, use-based zoning code to form-based zoning code. Thereappear to be substantive differences in the intent and outcomes of these two types of
zoning code (e.g., https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2018/feb/01/the-promise-and-pitfalls-of-form-based-codes/), and these differences need to be communicated to residents
so that there is a common basis for discussion. Please note that although form-based codemay, in some cases, be simpler to read and understand than use-based code, the word
simpler is not a synonym of the word better.
(2) The City has not presented any scientifically and statistically defensible economic,
socio-cultural, and environmental data to show that its proposed increases in density,
mass, and scale of buildings across all zoning districts will lead to an abundance of
affordable housing and missing-middle housing while protecting Bozeman's natural
environment and maintaining Bozeman's historical sense of place. Without scientifically and
statistically defensible data, the City's claims that affordable housing and missing-middle
housing will magically appear are without merit. Moreover, to date, the CDB has failed to
have a frank and open discussion among its members about the lack economic, socio-
cultural, and environmental data presented by the City.
(3) The City has not provided any legal or otherwise convincing rationale for its proposedtime-table for completion of the proposed UDC update. Although Montana SB323 went into
effect on Oct 1, 2023, Montana SB382 allows approximately 3 years for implementation(approx. May 2026). The City's push to complete the proposed UDC update by the end of
2023 is without merit and does a disservice to residents. Moreover, to date, the CDB hasfailed to discuss this time-table issue among its members.
To conclude, the long-term futures of Bozeman's natural environment and human
population are at stake. To best serve both these futures, it would be reasonable andprudent for the City to postpone its final decision on the proposed UDC update until late
2025. In the meantime, the City can collect relevant economic, socio-cultural, and
environmental data, and a series of town-hall meetings can be held to allow residents
ample opportunity to ask questions and offer input.
Daniel Carty
213 N. Third Ave.
Bozeman
dgc12@hotmail.com
406-548-2810