HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-03-24 Public Comment - A. Deal - Comment for 24266From:anna@lockhornhardcider.com
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Cc:Anna Deal
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Comment for 24266
Date:Tuesday, November 26, 2024 2:09:07 PM
Attachments:Anna Deal Comment on Application 24266.pdf
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Please see my comments with deadline today for Application 24266 attached.
If you are able to let me know they have been received, I would appreciate it.Thank you,
Anna
Anna Deal
LockHorn Hard Cider - Owner anna@lockhornhardcider.com
907-244-7909
Anna Deal
Lockhorn Hard Cider - Owner
21 S Wallace Ave, Bozeman, MT
anna@lockhornhardcider.com
Comment on Block B Mixed Use Building. Application #24266
My name is Anna Deal. My husband and I own the property adjacent to the proposed
development at the corner of Wallace and Babcock. We have operated a small business:
Lockhorn Hard Cider with 17 fabulous employees for nearly 11 years as well as an Air BnB
rental and an affordable long-term rental in our two units in the remodeled farmhouse next
door.
As the closest neighbor to the proposed development on the North side of Babcock
(application 24266), we will be signiflcantly impacted by this development. While I do not
oppose the proposed project in its entirety, we do understandably have concerns about
how the construction and flnished development will impact our business operations,
customer experience, and residential tenants.
1. Increased Pressure on Babcock and Surrounding Street Parking: street parking on
Babcock and Wallace is already congested and extremely limited for surrounding
residents and businesses. Two commercial spaces and 46 units will undoubtedly
increase parking demand on the surrounding streets. I question whether the parking
needs of additional 2 stories and 16 units allowed beyond current zoning can be
accommodated given the current congestion.
The proposed location of on-ramp to parking garage and flre hydrant will also eliminate
2 public on-street parking spaces on Babcock Street.
If all 80 parking spaces in the garage are reserved for residents only, they will not make
up for the additional parking pressure of the commercial spaces and lost street spaces.
I would suggest that at least some of the 80 parking spaces be reserved for the new
commercial spaces and resident visitors. I would also suggest that at least 2 new public
parking spaces be added to Babcock by eliminating current road cuts into existing
properties and that these be dedicated public spaces.
2. The construction phase will negatively impact access and ambiance for customers of
Lockhorn Cider House’s tasting room, AirBnB, and long term tenant.
Road and sidewalk closures along Babcock or Wallace during construction will restrict
access to parking and pedestrian access to Lockhorn Cider House and damage sales.
For example, during construction of the similar 5 story project on the S side of Babcock
(101 S Wallace), road cuts, chain-link safety fencing, and construction equipment
blocked Babcock street and Wallace Avenue for several months during our busy
summer season.
Nearby street parking was fenced off and customers who knew we existed and were
willing to make the additional effort to visit were required to park further away, navigate
past fencing and construction equipment, and endure unsettling noise rather than the
quaint, relaxing, quiet, outdoor experience they typically enjoy on the patio at Lockhorn.
Sales during the closure (July – August, 2020) were 25-30% lower than those month in
the previous summer, while sales after the closure (September-October, 2020) were
identical to the previous period. One could argue that Covid had an impact, but those
who were here in Bozeman remember tourists fiocking to Montana during the summer
of 2020 and business elsewhere was booming.
Our AirBnB customers were, at best, confused and annoyed and, at worst, angry and
left damaging reviews due to the restricted access and construction noise during their
stay. Our long-term tenant lived with the noise next door all summer.
I would like to know how much longer we would expect the construction phase to last if
an additional 2 stories are allowed and the additional impact to our business addressed
should those be approved.
I would also like to know what the safety and noise mitigation plan will be for our
customers, employees, and tenants parking and walking along Babcock Street to
access our property as well as the boundary between our properties during the
construction phase. Seven stories is a long way to drop a wrench onto the sidewalk or
into our backyard and parking space.
Developers pay “Impact Fees” to the City to mitigate the impact of construction. Most
people assume those fees go to the neighbors who are most impacted. I would ask the
City that a portion of those fees be paid to neighboring residents and businesses who
will be most impacted during the construction phase of this project.
3. Concerns with Alley and Utility Access during the construction phase:
Existing power lines in the alley appear to be planned for burial. We are in support of
burying the power lines in the alley, especially if it includes burial of the crooked pole on
Wallace Avenue.
We do need assurance that vehicle access to the alley as well as supply of gas,
electricity, internet, water, and sewer will not be disrupted during construction so that
our daily business operations are not negatively impacted. We accrue additional cost
for deliveries that are delayed because of access on our end. This plays out as
increased costs for future delivery contracts that last longer than the single disruption.
Disruption to our daily deliveries also equates to additional cost and reputational
damage. We need clear communication on any disruption to the fiow of traffic in the
alley during the construction phase.
4. Excavation of the underground parking garage next adjacent to our structures has the
potential to compromise and impact the integrity of existing soils, parking space,
structures and utilities.
I am not an engineer, but I do understand that if you dig a deep hole, the surrounding
substrate flnds an angle of repose and can cause the surrounding area to cave in. When
you build a 7 story building vs a 2 story building that foundation needs to be deeper and
stronger.
I ask that the burden of proof be put on the developer’s engineer to show up that the
setback is far enough from our property that demolition, excavation and vibration
associated with excavation and construction will not damage the foundation of our
existing structures or cause cave in of our backyard, trees, and parking spaces.
5. Placement of the generator and mechanical units will create noise that will negatively
impact the long-term quiet ambiance of our Cider House patio as well as our AirBnB
and long-term rental immediately next door. These units are planned to be placed
withing 2 feet of the property line. I suggest that they be moved to the roof or to the west
side of the development with neighboring parking lot where they will not impact our
current residents and business or at a bare minimum be contained within sound
dampening materials.
6. Landscaping and Power Supply: the proposed fence separating our properties and
landscaping plan will require cutting down 100+ year old apple tree located on the
property line. This may seem trivial in the context of such a large project, but as a cider
business and orchardists, we have a special attachment to the 100+ year old Wealthy
apple tree on our shared property line on the northeast corner. If possible, we would like
to be able to work together to preserve that tree as power is brought in and fence
constructed and to include it in the landscaping plan.
7. Improvements to Babcock/ Wallace Intersection: I am in support of the proposed
improvements which would add stop signs to Eastbound traffic on Babcock Street. This
intersection is a safety concern and source of frustration, with honking, drivers turning
the wrong way onto a one-way street and dangerous for pedestrians. Adding a stop sign
here will slow traffic but overall help improve safety and reduce confusion. A stop light
would even be better as the learning curve is likely to cause a certain degree of chaos.
8. Affordable Housing Waiver:
This development will, or has already, displaced approximately 30 truly affordable
downtown housing units. These are long-time residents, veterans, and people who
walked to work. Some worked as bartenders and were year-round customers at
Lockhorn.
In contrast, the vast majority, if not all of the people who have purchased the luxury
condominiums on the south side of Babcock, which this development is intended to
model, are out-of-state residents for whom it is a vacation home that they rarely visit.
Evidence: Our year-round tenant has only ever seen people in these units two times in
four years for a long weekend has lived there consistently since construction we has
never met a condo resident.
The high-income customers for these 46 luxury units will have displaced 30 working
local Bozeman residents. My fear is that it will create a luxury ghost town in the center
of our city owned by people who do not contribute to the local economy or
neighborhood except when visiting on vacation.
Dedicating land for affordable housing elsewhere does not address the need for
affordable housing in our Downtown core area. It does not mitigate the elimination of
the 30 pre-existing units with this development, nor should it exempt the development
from providing the required percentage of affordable housing on site.
If the current zoning waiver is approved to allow 2 additional 2 stories, then I would
suggest that they be dedicated entirely to affordable housing units on-site.
Thank you for your time in reading this rather lengthy comment. We are integrally tied to
this property and care deeply about preserving its character.
Respectfully,
Anna Deal
