HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-24 Public Comment - H. Fretwell - Fwd_ Concerns Regarding the Guthrie Project Application 23354From:Holly Fretwell
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fwd: Concerns Regarding the Guthrie Project Application 23354
Date:Tuesday, April 2, 2024 10:07:51 PM
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From: Holly Fretwell <hollylfretwell@gmail.com>Date: Tue, Apr 2, 2024 at 10:05 PM
Subject: Concerns Regarding the Guthrie Project Application 23354To: srosenberg@bozeman.net <srosenberg@bozeman.net>, <agenda@bozeman.net>
Subject: Concerns Regarding the Guthrie Project, application 23354, and City
Development Code Incentives
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the Guthrie project and the incentives
it seeks to utilize under the city's new affordable housing ordinance. While I
understand the importance of promoting affordable housing in our community, I
believe that granting relaxations from the city development code, particularly in
regards to building height and parking requirements, is not in the best interest of our
community.
The Guthrie project's proposal to construct a five-story building with on-site parking
for only around 30% of the units raises significant concerns. According to data from
datausa.io, 70% of Bozeman residents drive to work, and the majority of households
have two vehicles. Using a conservative estimate of one vehicle per rented unit, the
proposed Guthrie development, comprising 111 units, would necessitate
accommodating parking for an additional 81 vehicles; the developer plans to provide
only 30 parking spaces. This leaves a significant shortfall of parking availability for
residents, potentially resulting in adverse effects on the surrounding community.
Given Bozeman’s requirement of 24 feet of space for parallel parking per vehicle and
a distance of 30 feet from a stop sign, the street parking needed to accommodate the
remaining vehicles is more than one-third of a mile. That is about eight blocks of
street parking needed assuming residents have only one car and no guests.
It is evident from this data that the Guthrie project's proposed parking provisions are
insufficient to meet the parking needs of its residents, potentially leading to increased
congestion, safety hazards, and frustration among residents unable to find parking
near their homes.
Furthermore, this area is already being adversely affected by multiple ongoing
developments by the same developer. As you walk down Grand Avenue between
Villard and Beall streets, you'll witness the stark changes in our community. According
to the project narrative, the Ives building, just East of Grand Avenue, “was designed
as a transition between the traditional urban core and residential neighborhoods.” The
Ives project, despite assurances from commissioners that it would not mirror the
Black Olive development, towers over the neighboring single family homes with the
building’s decks intrusively overlooking the backyards.
Allowing further relaxations from the city development code without addressing these
existing issues will only exacerbate the problem and negatively impact the quality of
life for residents in the neighborhood and the community at large.
I urge the commission to reject the Guthrie project's request for relaxations from the
city development code and to instead advocate for a more comprehensive approach
that carefully considers the integration of existing neighborhoods with new
developments. Our community deserves thoughtful and responsible development that
effectively balances the needs of our growing community while preserving the unique
character and livability of our neighborhood.
I respectfully ask that you give due consideration to the concerns raised by the
community on this matter.
Sincerely,
Holly Fretwell
320 N Grand Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59715
HollyLFretwell@gmail.com
406-579-3658