HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-13-24 Public Comment - M. Egge - Fayetteville on Housing, BikingFrom:Mark Egge
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fayetteville on Housing, Biking
Date:Saturday, July 13, 2024 11:10:21 AM
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Commissioners,
Bozeman could learn a lot from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Fayetteville is auniversity town in the Ozarks that's become an amenity destination for
many of the same reasons as Bozeman (vibrant city, recreational
opportunities, strong economy).
In its recent rankings, People For Bikes identified Fayetteville as one of
Bozeman's peer cities. You'll note in the rankings that Fayetteville recently
blew past Bozeman in terms of the quality of its bicycle network, a result
of a concerted effort in Fayetteville to build out its bicycle network. Forexample, Fayetteville's development code requires that when a new
business is approved next to a trail, the business has to build a connection
to the trail. In the last six years Fayetteville has gone from being a bronze
Bicycle Friendly Community to surpassing Bozeman and becoming a goldBicycle Friendly Community.
Fayetteville has housing challenges of its own, but is taking proactive steps
to address its housing shortage. This includes a new program of 30permit-ready building designs that the City is developing and making
freely available, including designs for ADUs and duplexes.
Last month Fayetteville's mayor convened a Housing Crisis Task Force(similar in concept to Gov. Gianforte's statewide housing task force) with
representation from a broad swath of stakeholders. Bozeman could
consider doing the same. It would be interesting to see what might happen
if many of the vocal voices on housing issues in Bozeman were put on thesame task force and charged with coming up with solutions.
Oh, and while we're on the topic, did I mention that Fayetteville eliminated
commercial parking minimums citywide back in 2015? As Sightline reports,this strategy has been a boon for local businesses and the city's economy
(and the meteoric rise in Fayetteville's biking status is likely not entirely
coincidental).
If looking for inspiration from peer communities in terms of reducing car
dependency and practical housing solutions, Fayetteville offers ample
inspiration.
Mark Egge
1548 S Grand AveBozeman, MT 59715