HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-23 Public Comment - L. Hilliard - Ordinance 2149From:Larry Hilliard
To:Agenda
Cc:Leslie and Larry Hilliard; Larry Hilliard
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Ordinance 2149
Date:Monday, October 16, 2023 9:27:45 PM
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Greetings,
My name is Lawrence (aka Larry) Hilliard and I agree with Leslie's points that she
made in a prior email sent on October 15th. We have been owners in Bozeman
since 2014 and have complied with the City of Bozeman STR licensingrequirements as they have emerged until 2023. That has been a key element of ourretirement plans and we have increased our time in Bozeman each year since we
began as part-year residents. In that time, the housing market in Bozeman has
gotten much more expensive, and we have improved the home and feel a part of theneighborhood. We both volunteer at our Bozeman church, with the SpecialOlympics Montana Big Sky region, and Gallatin Valley Newcomers Club, and
Leslie has joined the Senior Center.
We do not believe that taking our LICENSED STR off the market will help the
affordable housing market crisis in Bozeman. In fact, it will incentivize
noncompliance with the licensing requirements. Although part-time, 40%, we arecontributing model residents when we are here, and contributing to the Bozeman
economy when we are back in Maryland by maintaining our home with a team of
local businesses led by Mountain Home Rental, including Grass Choppers, Premier
Heat & Air (HVAC), Lawn Rain (sprinkler systems), Spectrum Internet, NorthwestEnergy, and the City of Bozeman itself.
We look forward to solutions that really address affordable housing in Bozeman and
want to be part of that solution by continuing to fill our market niche responsibly asa licensed STR homeowner.
Please Vote No on Ordinance 2149.
Lawrence M. Hilliard
15th Avenue in Bozeman (residing 40% of 2023)
_____________________________________________________________
Sent: October 15th, 2023I am a grandfathered in R3 and I spend 40% of the year in my R3 HOME. I could
not afford to buy my current home today.
I urge you to VOTE NO on Ordinance 2149.
Why?
STRs ARE GOOD FOR BOZEMAN'S ECONOMY
Your own Aug 8th report pointed that out. They fill a critical need for lodging for tourists,families bringing kids to sporting events or school, and visiting professionals. The EPS studythat the City conducted this summer found that STRs account for 43% of the lodging base inBozeman. According to the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce, tourists brought around $1Billion into the Bozeman economy in 2022 – to restaurants, recreational activities, andlodging.
STRs bring jobs for Bozeman residents, including those who work in lawncare, snow
removal, cleaning, construction, painting, paving, property management, security, and
trash collection, as well as those who work in local restaurants, bars, retail stores, and
recreation outfits
Ordinance 2149 will not help create affordable housing. Bozeman's
commissioned a study, the EPS report found that about 63% of STRs are valuedabove the median value of housing units. Those homes are far from beingaffordable.
Ordinance 2149 is premature. It includes new charts for what types of short-term
rentals will be permitted in what zones, but the City is in the middle of rezoning.
Through its Development Code update work, the City is rezoning, and properties in one typeof zone now may well be in a different type of zone when the Code is completed. It does not
make sense to pass Ordinance 2149 in the midst of the development code update.
Ordinance 2149 would permit hotels and bed and breakfasts in many zones – but
not short-term rentals. That is punitive to STR owners and it favors hotel andother corporations over Montanans. The Board heard on the Oct 10th
meeting, many STRs are owned by local Montanans – most are not owned by large
out-of-state investors or national corporations.
Again, VOTE NO on Ordinance 2149.
Thank you
Leslie and Larry Hilliard 15th Ave, Bozeman