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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-12-24 Public Comment - C. Byrd - 23306From:Chaney Byrd To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]23306 Date:Tuesday, November 12, 2024 6:41:51 AM 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. Good morning. I am writing in reference to the proposed development 5 Range that is currently being reviewed by the City Planning Department. I am not in favor of allowing this development toproceed forward. Bozeman currently has multiple developments that provide plenty of housing opportunities for our growing population. I do understand we are a desirable place to live,however the forward movement of housing developments does not support the reason people want to live in Bozeman, which is a well-thought out community that honors the mountainsand mountain living that make Bozeman special. Four Daughters Farm is a local resource to our community that provides raspberries, vegetables, flowers and farm to table products that make our community special. To allow ahousing development on the 20 acres behind this local farm will compromise their ability to continue their farming processes. The amount of people that would be impacted by the cityallowing another local development to compromise a place of refuge for Bozeman residents and families would be disappointing. We need to honor what makes Bozeman a unique placeto love and not another suburbia, which it is quickly becoming. Living in this area of town, I am already aware of another housing development that filled a ditch without permission that diverted the water rights of another local farmer. I watched thisfarmer spend days diverting ditches and water through neighborhoods to allow the water to continue to make it to his farm, which was passed on to him by his grandmother, whichincluded the water rights. I have not received any update on how the city is proceeding forward with protecting local farmers such as this one whose livelihood has beencompromised by local development. My request is to consider local farmers and farms that make Bozeman a special place to live and manage housing developments better. Developers need to be held accountable for theiractions by the city when they compromise local farmers that own the water rights to that area. Bozeman has many housing developments currently under construction and it is notthe number of housing units that is problematic for the incoming population, it is the price. Thanks for your consideration of maintaining Bozeman's unique characteristics that make this a special place to live, such as supporting the local farmers who provide both healthy producefor our healthy conscious community and a place to raise our children to also support these values. Thank you for considering a local's perspective on the current housing development 5 Range. Chaney Byrd