HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-27-24 Public Comment - A. Sweeney - Inadequate noticing for 314 W Villard_From:Alison Sweeney
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Inadequate noticing for 314 W Villard?
Date:Thursday, December 19, 2024 1:27:01 PM
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City Clerk could you please make sure that the City Attorney, Community Development, Historic Preservation, and theConsultants at Community Planning Collaborative get this public comment? Thank you.
I think application 23321 may have been improperly noticed.
I received the Community Development weekly email that this project had gained adequacy later in November, but nodocuments were in the project file linked to the Community Development viewer at the time. I thought, "oh maybe it'sjust on hold, I'll look again later". With everything going on I forgot to go back until yesterday morning. There were stillno documents there.
Today I looked again and there are now documents, but also an approval!
I'm concerned for several reasons. The first being that this project appears to have been approved before nearby residentsor the public had a chance to tell what was actually being proposed for the property. There is literally one minute of timedifference between the complete project documents/drawings and the approval were uploaded to the file! Does thatcount as adequate notice? Hard to believe so, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
https://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink/Browse.aspx?startid=284565
The second reason I'm concerned is that we are losing a structure that is completely habitable (it is actually currentlyrented) and it is within the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District! Our code is apparently completely unable tosave a structure that has value as an affordable rental! Homes from this time period actually have really strong bones,there is NO reason this structure should be demolished! To say nothing of the horrid gentrification units replacing it. Will the current renter be able to afford one of the new units? Was any provision made for her at all in thisdisplacement?
While we are updating the Historic Preservation Program and the Unified Development Code we need to address this! Iwish Bozeman had 4 times the amount of older housing stock than we do because it's more affordable even in greatlocations. Consultants with Community Planning Collaborative please help us with code to protect all structures inBozeman over 50 years old. Whether that's a deconstruction ordinance or some other creative strategy. Please!
The American Planning Association recommends protecting these types of postwar homes as NOAH because they're acommunity asset, just like we protect historic resources as a community asset.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6533d07ae4f621503c9a6366/t/65c92c4afaea4918cbd4e818/1707682891381/Zoning-Practice-2023-12.pdf
I worry that we are losing the historic integrity and the affordability of several neighborhoods (not just the Violett andKarp subdivisions) before we are even able to protect them with a new Landmark Program.
What can be done? This is not ok.
Alison B. SweeneyBernadette's Handmade JewelryBozeman MT406-404-5740alison-bernadettes.com