HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-14-23 Public Comment - N. Brushaber - Proposed UDC UpdateFrom:Nellie Brushaber
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Proposed UDC Update
Date:Saturday, October 14, 2023 5:01:25 PM
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I am writing in regards to the proposed UDC. I am a recent addition to the community, moving to Bozeman around
5 years ago. I am 28 years old. Bozeman is the best place I've ever been, and I could not be more grateful for how
the community welcomed me and healed me in many ways. My older neighbors taught me how to garden, my
partner taught me how to ski, and the community taught me how to slow down to enjoy a sunny Saturday with some
bluegrass and a hike. This type of community is rare and very special. I rent from a local landlord who owns three
rental properties, and the only way I can continue to afford living in Bozeman is that my landlord doesn't sell his
home.
I am deeply disappointed in how the city seems to have turned their backs on the longtime residents, young families,
college students, and our land, by allowing for development in an unaffordable and unsustainable fashion. I attended
the October 10th UDC public hearing with the Community Development Board. My impression was that the
residents who built this paradise feel unheard by the city. That is absolutely unacceptable and I hope you work
toward repairing this reputation by incorporating their suggestions into the code. Your role is to listen to the
community to make decisions representing their engagement. The arrogance that was demonstrated by responses to
community member concerns was unacceptable.
Though I think there are benefits to updating the coding to modernize, the precedent, particularly with the Black
Olive building and the Henry building, is that investors have an eye on increasing the cost of living in Bozeman.
Please prioritize CURRENT RESIDENTS in your decision making. Our affordability crisis will only get worse with
a rezoning of R1 to R8 (or even R4), because there is no motive for a developer to create affordable options. The
"carrots" have not worked. Please consider rezoning R1 to R2 (or the new term equivalent), and smoothing the way
for "invisible infill" solutions. Please prioritize maintaining (not allowing for demolishment) of our historic and
mixed use neighborhoods.
It is unwise to attempt to reconstruct a ship as it rides a wave like this. Please place a moratorium on new
developments, as the rapidness of this situation has perpetuated the issues we're facing with luxury (empty) second
homes displacing current residents, staffing issues due to unaffordability, and the demolishing of our green spaces.
Please slow down this decision to allow for back and forth conversation around this topic. Though a public hearing
is necessary, an even better approach would be open conversation. The way residents were shut down with a 3
minute limit and no ability to ask questions was frankly inhuman. We are neighbors.
Thank you for your service to our community.
Nellie Brushaber
404 W Beall St