HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-28-25 Public Comment - C. Stillwell - affordable housing ordinance and the UDCFrom:Cindy Stillwell
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]affordable housing ordinance and the UDC
Date:Tuesday, January 28, 2025 12:00:14 PM
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.
Hello Please direct my feedback on the UDC update to the city commissioners, staff and
community development boardI am writing to express my input on the current proposed AHO as part of the UDC update.
As I see the proposed update to the UDC --it appears to shrink the history overlay districts
and the AHO is giving away far too much in terms of its height allowances and parkingrequirement ( or lack of) in exchange for far too little in terms of affordable housing.
The proposed plan gives the very real possibility of large over tall building structures that
encroach into historic neighborhoods, drastically shifting the character of the downtown core,while not providing near enough 'affordable' housing for people who actually work here, make
a living, live their lives while trying to make a life-- it instead incentivizes the current trend ofhigher and higher buildings, crowding out the sky view, eliminating back yards and shifting
the character of the town itself to one that only t he wealthy can afford--people who aremaking their living elsewhere-- or some kind of salary that I do not know where it comes
from...in terms of Bozeman economy and the jobs offered here.
I agree with the BBC(BetterBozemanCoalition) document, taken straight from
community input, that grouping the residential zones and allowing for greater height
and very little parking, is a bad idea. Their report states that the city's " existing height
limits will allow for missing middle housing to be built. If we increase height
allowances we will actually skip the generational phase of development known as themissing middle, instead incentivizing high-density luxury condos that dwarf
neighborhoods."
I would very much like to recommend:Do Not Shrink the historic overlay districts in any way; preserve the history of the townAdjust zones to more accurately reflect what is already on the ground. collapsing currentzoning into higher density areas needs a rethink; connect all redevelopment to some kind of relationship to the current / existing structures restrict any higher rise development to main arteries, and they must have parking on site
I thank all the citizens and commissioners and planners for their time and energy spend onthese changes! WE can do this! Cindy Stillwell