HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-16-24 Public Comment - A. Kociolek - UDC Update Work Session - Sept 17th MeetingFrom:Angela Kociolek
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]UDC Update Work Session - Sept 17th Meeting
Date:Monday, September 16, 2024 12:32:42 PM
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Dear Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, and Commissioners Bode, Fischer and
Madgic,
In anticipation of the UDC Update Work Session tomorrow, I’d like to bring your awarenessto the foundational concept of the City’s role as a land steward within the Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem. With this privileged position and access to the wild amenities we enjoy, comesresponsibility. I ask that each of you take this to heart as you embark on this process of the
UDC Update. Having seen several on you out in nature both in town and in the hills, I trustthat this concept is not foreign to you.
The materials referenced in the agenda for tomorrow night’s meeting includes Key FocusAreas that residents want to discuss/address. I’ll write about two here.
1. Environmental Protection Codes
The current UDC has a general standard for preserving natural terrain, natural drainage,
existing topsoil, trees and other existing vegetation. But, for some reason, this code is notbeing enforced. Therefore, please also devote the time and resources to bolstering 38.410.010
among other existing environmental codes. And, let’s be proactive in adding new ordinances,as necessary, to truly protect the existing trees and shrubs of our urban forest as more land is
developed or in-fill projects are proposed.
Don’t just take my word for it. Per Matt Lee, of the Green Infrastructure Center - consultant toBranch Out Bozeman, “Trees are the only infrastructure where the value of them appreciates
over time versus everything else - pipes, wire, roads depreciate ... trees are only ones that gainin economic, ecological and social value. Of course, at some point a tree will die, but anything
that can be done to extend the life of a tree will have a greater return than just planting newtrees.“
As you lay the groundwork for UDC Update Process and Citizen Engagement, it behooves us
to also include the key topic of Environmental Protection codes.
2. Protecting Existing Neighbors Through Zone Changes
I live on North Tracy between Peach and Tamarack. Currently, this section is unbelievablydesignated as R4. We already enjoy mixed housing types and a very livable, walkable, human
scale neighborhood. So much so that the BridgerView project used drone footage of my mapletrees and corner of the Northeast Neighborhood as the type of neighborhood they wanted to
emulate. https://bridgerview.org/gallery/ My home and trees are seen at the 50-second mark.
With all the new towers (North Central) and apartment buildings (North 3rd) among othersbeing built very near to our sub-neighborhood, it is incumbent upon us to save this treasured
portion of the Northeast Neighborhood while we can.
Please, in your process, let us - engaged residents of the Centennial Park area - know how bestto work WITH you to ensure reasonable growth that values the homes of existing neighbors.
Perhaps it is a Zone Map/Text Amendment, perhaps it’s downzoning before applying newlyupdated designations, perhaps it’s simply making this sub-neighborhood align with its
southern border as R3.
Together we can protect this - so far - fairly intact part of old Bozeman. The future of myfamily and that of my neighbors is literally in your hands.
See you tomorrow night!
Angie Kociolek
620 N Tracy Ave