HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-31-25 Public Comment - K. Sanchez - Appeal 25033 Regarding Conditional Approval of The GuthrieFrom:karen bucklin sanchez
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Cc:karen bucklin sanchez
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Appeal 25033 Regarding Conditional Approval of The Guthrie
Date:Sunday, March 30, 2025 4:26:28 PM
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03-30-25
RE: Consideration of Appeal 25033 Regarding Conditional Approval of The Guthrie, 5th
and Villard Site Plan, Certificate of Appropriateness, and Demolition Application
Number 24493
Dear Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison and Commissioners Madgic, Fischer
and Bode,
Please overturn the administrative decision of the Director of Community Development
approving this development.
The decision regarding Guthrie II should have been removed from administrative review
for consistency to the city’s review of Guthrie I for a couple of important reasons:
- The volume and weight of public comments did not subside. Comments
pointed out inconsistencies to city requirements and foreseeable negative
impacts.
- The timing and nature of the revised application submitted by this developer
appears to have been meant to circumvent the City Commission’s decision on
the recently amended Affordable Housing Ordinance and to limit public input
opportunity.
This Community Development administrative decision is erroneous.
- It ignored the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD)
standards. Residential building modifications in this neighborhood have been
required to adhere to the NCOD. The Guthrie was not required to comply to these
same NCOD requirements. Why?
-The administratively-approved Guthrie development impacts public health
and safety. The application misrepresented traffic safety impacts. It ignored the
vulnerable people in our neighborhood with mobility challengers. It does not
“see” bicyclists, children and pedestrians, or the BMX park and elementary
school.
- Approval of this development as-is will preclude it to be available housing for
residents with accessibility issues related to parking their vehicles on streets.
- The developer began demolishing the building during the initial application
period by breaking and removing windows and has left the building open to the
elements to decay. It parked a backhoe next to the building immediately following
the Community Development Director’s conditional approval. Was there an
assumption by the developer that the two-year stay on demolition was not going
to be enforced?
This building could have been a great project developed in partnership with the
community. It could have provided true affordable long-term (vs. 30-day) housing on a
scale in keeping with the neighborhood. Instead, it is an albatross – a one-off using the
guise of “affordable” to take advantage of the now discarded previous iteration of the
AHO.
This is not ok. We can require better. We do not need to sacrifice health and safety to
appease a litigious developer.
Please overturn this administrative decision and stick with the city’s requirements.
Sincerely,
Karen Sanchez
North 5th Ave
Bozeman
-- Karen Bucklin Sanchez