HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-14-24 Public Comment - A. Hoitsma - Application #23354From:Amy Kelley Hoitsma
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Application #23354
Date:Tuesday, May 14, 2024 11:47:49 AM
Attachments:Amy_Hoitsma_RE_Guthrie_23354.docx
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Please accept my comments regarding this application. I know it is not timely in terms of theprocess, but I am leaving the country tomorrow and won’t be back until the end of June and
didn’t want to miss a comment deadline.
Thank you.
Amy Kelley Hoitsma
406-581-1513
aok@mcn.net
aokworks.com
TO: Mayor Cunningham and Bozeman City Commissioners FROM: Amy Kelley Hoitsma RE: Application #23354 DATE: 14 May 2024 Honorable Mayor and Bozeman City Commissioners: Thank you for your unanimous vote to reclaim decision-making authority over the Guthrie application (#23354). Given the precedent-setting nature of this application—the first time a developer is proposing to qualify for “deep incentives” [outlined in 38.380.03 BMC: the Affordable Housing ordinance] in exchange for providing “affordable housing” as defined in the code—it is critical that the application be reviewed in a public venue, which the City Commission will now provide. I have reviewed the ordinance, and related pieces of City code, as well as the applicant’s documents posted on the Community Development website. I am confident that this application does not meet the requirements outlined in the Affordable Housing
ordinance, and therefore does not qualify for the “deep incentives.” In Document 09: Affordable Housing Plan, the applicant clearly spells out those requirements, as well as the deep incentives requested:
Below is a list of required data provided for the affordable housing plan per
Bozeman Municipal Code Section 38.380.040: a. The Total number of affordable homes is a minimum of 56 units. Total number of market rate homes is 55 units. b. We provide affordable homes per Table 38.380.020-1.
c. All affordable and market rate units are 1-bedroom units. d. All affordable units will be offered for rental. e. See Sheet A0.14 for affordable unit locations. f. Each applicable AMI and rental prices will be:
1. Estimated $67,350 for 2 people
2. Estimated $1,684 for a 2-person household g. The requested incentives from sec5on ‘38.380.030 – Incentives Available’ will be: 3.b - Two additional stories of height (maximum 15 feet per story)
beyond that allowed in the … R-5 … zoning districts. 3.d. - No minimum on-site vehicle parking requirement, but bicycle parking standards and requirements of 38.540.050 still apply. 3.f (2) – Section 38.510.030.E to J block frontage standards, provided that vehicle parking is prohibited between the front or side of a principal
building and a public or private street; 3.f (5) - Section 38.530.050 building detail standards; and 3.f (6) - Section 38.530.060 building material standards.
What I see on the applicant’s drawings, however [035 - A2.02 - LEVEL 2-5 FLOOR PLAN], is that all of the A-1 and A-2 units (at 312–327 sq. ft.) are studio apartments. Even the B-1, B-2 and B-3 units (at 382–397 sq. ft.) appear to be studio apartments. They
comprise 47 of the 56 so-called 1-bedroom apartments.
The AFFORDABLE HOUSING section of the City Code, 38.380.020 (D)(2) states: To determine the maximum sales prices of affordable homes with different numbers of bedrooms, the city will base its calculation on AMIs for households of different sizes, as follows, with the review authority determining
which rooms qualify as bedrooms: a. Studio dwelling: AMI for a one-person household; In the “Community Housing” section of the City’s website (bozeman.net/departments/economic-development/community-housing), the table shows that 80% AMI for a 1-person household is $58,950. It further states that: “Housing is affordable if the monthly rent or mortgage payment is equal to or less that
30% of gross household income (before taxes).” For a studio apartment (defined as a 1-person household, above), the maximum monthly rent could be $58,950(.3)/12 = $1,473.75. The narrative for the Guthrie “Affordable Housing Plan” says it “will include (56) 1-bedroom units,” “which is over 50% of the total project” and thus qualifies for the deep incentives. It cites the current HUD AMI for Gallatin County as “not exceeding $67,350 for 1-bedroom (2-person) unit at the current affordability calculation,” which the narrative states as $1,648 for a 1-bedroom/2-person household.
However, in order to qualify as “affordable” units, the monthly rent for those 47 studio apartments cannot exceed $1,473.75/month. Therefore, I would argue that this application, as submitted, does not meet the
minimum requirements set out in the Affordable Housing ordinance and should
be immediately disqualified from receiving any of the “deep incentives” outlined
in the ordinance. Without the deep incentives, the project does not meet the parking requirements or height limits required in an R-5 zone. Sincerely, Amy Kelley Hoitsma 706 E. Peach Street, Bozeman MT 59715 (406) 581-1513 | aok@mcn.net