HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-31-25 Public Comment - G. Chamberlain - support the appeal of the GuthrieFrom:Glen Chamberlain
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]support the appeal of the Guthrie
Date:Sunday, March 30, 2025 1:49:01 PM
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Dear Mayor Cunningham and Bozeman City Commission:
For too many large construction projects, the City Commission has ignored the appeals
initially made by Bozeman citizens, allowing unsightly and over-sized buildings/developmentsto be built in our neighborhoods. Second appeals to the commission's decisions fail to
materialize because of the cost ($3,000) just to file an appeal and the additional cost ofretaining legal counsel. Kudos to the citizens surrounding the 300 block of N. 5th for believing
their neighborhood is worth the high cost of appealing--and in their belief that the CityCommission will do the right thing.
In this case, the "right thing" is overriding the decision made by city staff, which in
approving the HomeBase application ignored the regulations set forth in the NeighborhoodConservation Overlay District (NCOD). The Guthrie fails to follow patterns in building
height, mass, density, materials, parking and open space, as spelled out in the NCOD.
Continuously, the City Commission has chosen to incentivize developers rather than itscitizens (encouraging residents, for example, to create infill in their backyards with ADUs
through discrete and discreet code changes). Supporting the appeal of the Whittier ElementarySchool neighborhood is a chance to pause this old approach and show citizens that you hear
them and agree that their concerns are not only right but legitimate. It will also encouragecitizens to attend the upcoming local government study commissions' meetings, as you will
establish that the City Commission is more than just talk, that you truly want to hear what thecommunity wants rather than what the developers do.
Sincerely,
Glen Chamberlain
1821 Bridger Drive