HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-01-25 Public Comment - W. Lonsdale - Public Comment on The Guthrie – April 1 MeetingFrom:Whitney Lonsdale
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment on The Guthrie – April 1 Meeting
Date:Tuesday, April 1, 2025 8:58:13 AM
Attachments:Whitney_Lonsdale_PublicComment_Guthrie.docx
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Please find attached my public comment on the Guthrie for tonight's city commission meeting(4/1).
Thank you,
Whitney
-- Whitney Lonsdale
whitneylonsdale@gmail.com
406.570.4318
Public Comment to the Bozeman City Commission Re: Opposition to the Guthrie Project – Support for Appeal of COA Approval
Whitney Lonsdale, 4/1/25
Mayor, Commissioners,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment. As a 15-year resident of the Midtown neighborhood, I am speaking today in firm opposition to the proposed construction of the Guthrie project at the site located in the Karp Addition and in full support of the appeal to
overturn the Certificate of Appropriateness and site plan approval issued for this project.
I am not speaking in opposition to growth or development within our city. However, growth must be done well, with conscious thought and aligned with established development guidelines. The Guthrie project, as currently proposed, clearly and substantially violates the NCOD Design Guidelines—guidelines that are adopted into Bozeman’s Unified Development Code and must
be upheld.
Staff have asserted that the NCOD Guidelines are “not compulsory.” That is legally and factually incorrect. Bozeman Municipal Code explicitly adopts the Design Guidelines by reference, making them enforceable law. The code also clearly states that where regulations conflict, the more restrictive standard must govern. This means that NCOD guidelines override base zoning
like R-5 when they conflict—and they do in this case. Furthermore, the Guthrie project fails to meet multiple policies related to building mass, scale, and context.
As proposed, the Guthrie is deeply incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood. By volume it is up to 10 times larger than surrounding buildings and 20 times larger than some single-family homes nearby. This violates NCOD Guidelines, such as Design Guideline B: Building Mass and
Scale, which states: “A new building should not be so dramatically greater in scale than the
established context that the visual continuity of the neighborhood would be compromised.”
The NCOD has been in place since 1991. It has shaped the look, feel, and livability of our historic neighborhoods for over three decades. It was created to prevent precisely this kind of development mismatch. If the city wants to change that vision, it must do so through a public
legislative process.
Allowing this project to proceed without requiring compliance with the NCOD not only erodes neighborhood character—it erodes public trust. It sends the message that our planning code is optional, that developers can ignore established guidelines if they’re inconvenient, and that community voices don’t matter. This is not how Bozeman should grow. Bozeman can build
affordable housing while honoring its code and maintaining community trust.
As a member of the Gallatin City/County Board of Health, which is regularly called upon to make difficult decisions related to growth, community health, and environmental health, I recognize that this decision is neither simple nor easy. It carries significant implications for Bozeman residents, both in Midtown and beyond, and has the potential to set a precedent for
how Bozeman continues to develop. I urge the Commission to deny the Guthrie, to uphold the
values of transparency and community protection, and to honor the NCOD for what it is – important and compulsory rules for responsible development that should be applied unilaterally
across its districts.
Thank you,
Whitney Lonsdale