HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-29-24 Public Comment - O. Bach - Comments regarding _urban camping_From:orville bach
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Comments regarding "urban camping"
Date:Thursday, October 24, 2024 3:29:55 PM
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My wife and I have a lot to say about this but I will try to be as brief as
possible. We have watched our two daughters work very hard, pay taxes
and scratch out a living here. One, a single mother, lives in an apartmenthere and has two children. She has watched these "campers" edge closer
to her neighborhood and has felt less safe.
This "urban camping" should have NEVER been allowed to get started inthe first place. My wife and I just made a trip to Sedona, AZ which has a
ton of tourist related jobs, etc. and we did not see a SINGLE urban
camper. They NEVER allowed that to get started there, court case in
Grants Pass or not.
"Urban campers" are not paying any rent, yet are placing demands on the
city services and infrastructure. They are not paying any taxes. It's
ridiculous. There are ways to camp away from town and commute ifsomeone cannot afford an apartment.
A big emphasis here is doing what is necessary for a SAFE community. As
we have all heard crime is soaring in Bozeman. I'm not going to play the"Trump card" and blame it on the influx of "urban campers" but then
allowing this in the first place probably has contributed to it.
We would like to applaud the commissioners who voted FOR the strongerordinance as well as the stronger penalties.
Now I urge all of the proper officials to ENFORCE these regulations. With
compassion and empathy yes, but ENFORCE them.
Sincerely,
Orville and Margaret Bach
p.s. I worked for 47 years as a seasonal park ranger in Yellowstone and
we had to deal with the challenge of "out of bounds" camping constantly.
That's just it, you have to DEAL with it, not ignore it.