HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-05-23 Public Comment - D. Lewis - Baxter 80 Annexation and Zone Map Amendment – Application 23208From:Lewis, Debra A., Ph.D.
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Baxter 80 Annexation and Zone Map Amendment – Application 23208
Date:Saturday, February 3, 2024 7:36:18 PM
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ATTN: Tom Rogers
RE: Baxter 80 Annexation and Zone Map Amendment – Application 23208 by the
Community
Dear Community Development Board,
I oppose the zoning designation of R4 – High Density and R5 – High Density Mixed Use forthe following compelling reasons:
The Bozeman 2020 Community Plan asserts that “the needs of new and existingdevelopment coexist and they should remain in balance, neither should overwhelmthe other (Bozeman 2020 Community Plan, p. 20)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Although we have pockets of R4 high density
in our neighborhoods, the apartment complexes are smaller and limited to twostories with setbacks that blend in well with more medium to moderate zonedareas.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->An abrupt transition to R-4 (Residential High
Density) and R-5 (Residential High-Density - Mixed) would threaten to overwhelmour more medium to moderate density neighborhood areas and would create an
imbalance between the two-story character of our residences and the potential threeto four story dwellings with out of place commercial businesses mixed in.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->We bought our homes knowing there would
be no commercial businesses nearby in well-established residential neighborhoods.Businesses do not always make the best neighbors and there are valid andlegitimate reasons for separating them from residential areas. Today’s coffee shopcan become tomorrow’s pawn shop.
According to the Bozeman 2020 Community Plan under the City Responsibility
section, it states that: “the City’s primary function is to provide a safe, healthy, andhigh-quality environment….. The way a community is shaped through………greenspaces can contribute to the well-being of residents” (Bozeman 2020 CommunityPlan, p. 21).
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->The property contains significant wetlands
that spread out from Baxter, Ajacker, and McDonald Creeks and should beprotected to support our well-being with green space in the form of parks along thewetlands for current and future residents to enjoy.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->The R4 and R5 designations could negatively
impact the wetlands and shrink the opportunity to establish parks along them.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->If a high-density development is added there
without parks and protection of the wetlands, many of those residents will seek outour parks and green spaces that we pay to maintain.
It is the city’s responsibility as per The Bozeman 2020 Community Plan to plan at alevel that considers infrastructure and also impact on the needs of existingcommunities.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->If a high-density development is added to this
area existing traffic will explode, the existing infrastructure cannot withstand suchan assault. In addition, such an increase in traffic on Oak will impact the safety of
the Gallatin High school as Oak and Cottonwood intersect at the traffic circle.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Expansion for in this area will require new
roads, new infrastructure and ultimately new and greater taxes as we have seen.Ultimately it will increase the strain on an already overburdened system.
Thank you for taking the time to carefully consider these compelling reasons for rejecting thiszoning proposal and the potential for it to adversely impact our well-established residentialneighborhoods.
Sincerely,
Debra A. Lewis
1133 Saxon Avenue
Bozeman, Mt