HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-08-24 Public Comment - P. McGown - Dear City CommissionersFrom:Patty McGown
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Dear City Commissioners
Date:Sunday, July 7, 2024 11:23:01 AM
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Dear City Commissioners
This letter is in regards to your decision on July 9 regarding the proposed building at 5th and Villard called the
Guthrie.
My name is Patty McGown and I live at 222 S 13th Ave in the Jandt Neighborhood. I moved to Bozeman in May of
1987, so I have seen many, many changes and heaps of growth. Unfortunately, mostof the growth is poorly planned
due to ineffective zoning.
I understand that the city commission has the ability to approve; approve with conditions; or deny; the Guthrie
development project. I implore you to deny the development project called the Guthrie. Allow the city to take a
deep collective breath, and regroup on the process of development, moving forward.
Deciding on the building of the Guthrie, (and all other development for that matter,) is a very important decision,
since it is the first development project proposing to utilize the deep incentives of the City's Affordable Housing
Ordinance (AHO). As the first project, it will set precedent for all future projects requesting deep incentives. The
use and or misuse of these incentives is clear in the Guthrie plans. The deep incentives are inherently flawed as
written, and time is needed to reassess and rewrite these incentives to ensure that affordable housing is the outcome,
not just lining developers pockets with money.
Commissioners: your ruling on the Guthrie will be a watershed moment for all who reside in the Bozeman
community and Gallatin Valley as a whole. Meaning, whatever you decide on July 9, will set precedent moving
forward.
Please ask yourselves: Does Bozeman pursue density at all costs??
In any form??
Or does Bozeman expect developers to meet the same code that individual homeowners have been complying with
for decades?
Does the City Commission allow the City's AHO to give extra height (a whole additional level) and no parking
(absolutely ludicrous) to developers to produce unaffordable market rate housing (if you can call a 300-400square
foot unit “housing”)??
Tell me why it is that developers continue to receive special treatment??? Denying the Guthrie will take back
Bozeman’s power!
As a tax paying and voting resident of Bozeman I insist that you deny the Guthrie (and take back control of how
Bozeman grows, moving forward). Deny the Guthrie because it does not meet code for the Neighborhood
Conservation Overlay District (NCOD). I request that you rescind the Affordable Housing Ordinance (AHO)
because as it is currently written, it does not produce affordable housing. It’s going to take a different approach to
growth to produce affordable housing.
It is time to stop the “build build build” narrative in Bozeman. It hasn’t worked and it does not work to provide
housing that is affordable for our teachers, police people, hospital workers, and most others living on the current
wages paid in Bozeman. The only people benefiting are the developers, at the cost of taxpayers and this needs to
stop.
Please defend neighborhoods from the impacts of unaffordable developments that undermine and damage the fabric
of our community. Please. Take a stand now so we can get things back on track with zoning and building code that
benefits everyone.
Thank you for reading this
BestPatty McGown
Patty McGown