HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-23 Public Comment - C. Knight - Vote NO on Ordinance 2149From:Crystal Knight
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Vote NO on Ordinance 2149
Date:Monday, October 16, 2023 9:37:52 PM
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Dear members of the City Commission,
I would like to take this opportunity to voice some of the reasons why I believe you should
vote no on Ordinance 2149. I am currently a full-time resident of Yellowstone County butrecently became a property owner in Gallatin County with the hopes of improving a need that
is affecting many families throughout Montana, including my own. My children are allcompetitive swimmers and we have had to travel to Bozeman frequently for swim meets. Our
swim families have a hard time with these weekends due to the unavailability as well asunaffordability of lodging in Bozeman. Many families prefer to stay in a home during these
weekends where multiple families can stay together to share costs, use laundry facilities forthe loads of wet clothes that come along with swim meets, have kitchens available to provide
and prepare healthy meals for our young athletes, and have space to relax after a long day ofcompeting. The same can be said of many young athletes of different sports and their families
who are required to travel to Bozeman for their children's events. This is why we were thrilled when we found and purchased a large 4 bedroom townhome that
was zoned REMU and therefore allowed short term rentals. We felt we were doing a service toother families from around the state by providing the availability of a more comfortable
environment for families like ours when traveling with their athletes. We plan to retire to thishome, however if we are unable to short term rent it, we will be forced to sell it. It is a luxury
townhome worth well over a million dollars. Not allowing us to short term rent our home willnot help the current housing crisis, but will hurt the community instead. This home will never
be an affordable housing unit. We cannot afford to keep it as a long term rental. If we are ableto short term rent our home, as is currently allowed by the already rigid zoning regulations, we
will bring comfortable and more affordable lodging for traveling Montanan families, supportBozeman as a hub for athletic competition, and bring tax revenue to the city. There is no gain
here by passing Ordinance 2149 and banning short term rentals, only a loss to many.
Thank you for considering this opinion,Crystal Knight, MD