HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-31-25 Public Comment - J. Darrow - Public comment on the Guthrie proposalFrom:Jason Darrow
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public comment on the Guthrie proposal
Date:Monday, March 31, 2025 3:13:10 PM
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Dear Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and City Commissioners,
I am writing to express my strong support for the appeal submitted by BHAG LLC tooverturn the administrative approval of the proposed four-story project in our neighborhood.
My concern is not just about the scale of this development, but about the inconsistent andunfair application of our Development Code and Neighborhood Conservation Overlay
District (NCOD) guidelines, as outlined in the appeal.
When I sought approval to build an addition over my attached garage, city staff explicitly
restricted my project to two stories (29' max), citing the NCOD guidelines assuperseding allowable base zoning heights (38' R-3 base standards which I understand was
later increased to 46'). To comply, I invested significantly in architectural and engineeringservices to ensure my design adhered to both the Development Code and these stated
restrictions. Now, we are being told that these same guidelines—once presented as firmregulations—are merely suggestions, and that a different project will be permitted to exceed
them by double. This is an unacceptable inconsistency in enforcement, and it isfundamentally unfair to those of us who followed the rules.
Beyond this particular case, I am deeply concerned about the broader trajectory of planningdecisions in our neighborhood. Many of us have invested years in building a strong, stable
community—one where affordable housing exists in hidden, well-integrated apartments, andwhere many residents work in the building trades, contributing directly to the city’s growth
and vitality. Unlike office-based jobs, our work requires tools, materials, and equipment thatcannot be transported by bicycle or on foot. Reliable parking is essential, yet this proposed
project is poised to overwhelm the already limited supply, making it even more difficult fortradespeople and working residents to live and operate here. It is unfair to approve a
development that disregards these basic needs.
The Elm Event Center should serve as a cautionary example. We have already seen what
happens when projects are approved without regard for their impacts on the surroundingcommunity. How can this proposed development, which introduces even greater potential
for disruption, possibly be justified?
I urge you to overturn the administrative approval of this project and uphold our existing
Development Code and NCOD guidelines consistently. These standards have served ourneighborhood well, and they should not be disregarded to accommodate selective
exceptions. If the rules are to change, they must do so through an open and transparentprocess—not through arbitrary reinterpretation.
Sincerely,
Jason Darrow
Bozeman Resident, Midtown Neighborhood