HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-08-24 Public Comment - A. Kautzer - Comments on the Guthrie projectFrom:Amanda Kautzer
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Comments on the Guthrie project
Date:Thursday, April 4, 2024 6:23:57 PM
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Hello Commissioners,
I am writing regarding the proposed Guthrie project and other related Bozeman housing
projects, and urging you to oppose projects like this that put money in the pockets ofdevelopers and make it harder for everyday people to live in Bozeman.
All that I've read about the proposal for the Guthrie shows that it will be closer to a dormitory
than a place to call home with tiny studio style apartments that still cost over $1600 a month.For an individual working full time at $20/hour (pre-tax that is), $1600/month comes out to be
exactly half monthly earnings. And again, that's pre-tax, and doesn't consider any time off orunpaid leave. That is not an acceptable definition of affordable.
Additionally, Bozeman is not a bike or walk friendly community. While some could argue it is
in the summer, there is nothing safe for a bike commuter on Bozeman roads in the winter,necessitating anyone working outside the home to have a car. It is absolutely unacceptable for
ANY new development to ignore this fact, regardless of the "affordability" of their proposal.Given the current parking issues already in Bozeman, it's only logical that any new proposal
includes a plan for parking on site.
For the Guthrie, with 111 units, that means an absolute bare minimum of 111 parking spaceson site, with a number closer to 222 considering guests and double occupancy being more
reasonable. For a developer to claim a project as creating more housing, they need to considerthe occupants as people. Would you be happy living somewhere if everyone who wanted to
come visit had to walk a mile from the nearest parking spot? If you had to make multiple longwalks to your car to bring in the groceries?
I know there are so many factors, but I urge you to please consider the obvious downsides of
plans like the Guthrie. It's not fixing the housing problem in the slightest.
Thank you for your time,Amanda