HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-12-23 Public Comment - A. Phillips - Opposition to the UDCFrom:Adie Phillips
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Opposition to the UDC
Date:Thursday, October 12, 2023 8:45:25 AM
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.
I am writing to the commission to voice my opposition to the zoning changes proposed in the
updated development code for the city of Bozeman. I live in the Figgins Addition which is abeautiful, single family home residential neighborhood with mature trees and nearby schools.
Allowing decentralized high-density (4-8 plex for example) housing will change the characterof my neighborhood, tax the road infrastructure that is not equipped for the extra cars, tax the
limited capacity sewers with an increase in wastewater and risk the lives of kids commutingby bike or walking to our schools due to the increased traffic. Every morning and afternoon
there are hundreds of kids walking and biking to the schools in the Figgins Addition. Theyenjoy the freedom to do that because there are not many commuter cars on the residential
streets nearby.
It is well over a mile to any nearby bus stop meaning that new residents in high-densityarrangements in our neighborhood will be driving cars- increasing the carbon footprint of the
community. High-density housing belongs where resources exist to support them (ie nearbusing and business) - not randomly spattered in existing single-family home neighborhoods
like the Figgins Addition.
Building high-density housing in the Figgins Addition would also risk all our mature trees.Developers are going to cut down anything in the way to maximize their high-density housing
footprint to maintain the required setbacks. That is in direct contradiction with the communityclimate goals.
I also don’t believe that the decentralized high-density model is going to improve the
affordability of housing to local residents. The precedent set by high-density housing in thedowntown area suggests that the apartments are going to be expensive- on par with the
apartments and condos that currently sell for over a million dollars downtown. If you allowdecentralized high-density zoning to occur in our neighborhood, our property values will also
increase and possibly raise my already almost impossible-to-afford property taxes.
Finally, I believe the pace that the zoning changes are being pushed from the commission alsoreveals a lack of transparency to the public by you, our elected officials. It seems like the
developers have a high stake in this game and the new code favors them and the commissionis taking their side. Please consider the community and your constituents in this decision
rather than the money that stands to be made in this zoning decision. I don’t think that thevalue of un-tethered growth and development is one that Bozeman should adopt.
Sincerely,
Adrienne Phillips