HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-15-25 Public Comment - A. Hoitsma - Endorsement for Centennial Park Neighborhood proposalFrom:Nena Bozeman
To:Bozeman Public Comment; Terry Cunningham; Jennifer Madgic; Douglas Fischer; Emma Bode; Joey Morrison
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Endorsement for Centennial Park Neighborhood proposal
Date:Monday, April 14, 2025 11:50:32 AM
Attachments:NENA endorsement letter.pdf
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Public comment letter attached in pdf.
Northeast Neighborhood Association
14 April 2024
Honorable Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, Commissioners Bode,
Commissioner Fischer, and Commissioner Madgic:
At a NENA potluck in August 2024, several NENA members who live in the
Centennial Park neighborhood (which lies within NENA boundaries) floated the idea
of asking the City to change the zoning that was proposed for their neighborhood in
the draft revised UDC from R-C to R-A. They already had formed a neighborhood
group that was discussing the issue, and wanted to gauge the support within the
greater neighborhood. The response was positive.
Since then, the group has formalized their proposal, engaged active neighborhood
participants, knocked on doors, collected signatures, educated neighbors, and
presented to NENA on multiple occasions as well as the City Commission.
In April 2025 the group asked if NENA would take a vote to officially endorse their
proposal.
The NENA bylaws, revised in 2024 to allow for online voting, state:
Any time NENA takes a position before the City, County, Developer, or the like,
that position must be voted on by the members of NENA. The vote can be held
at either a regularly scheduled or special meeting, or via email or online survey.
A quorum must be reached when NENA takes a position.
And that:
A quorum is reached when a combination of forty-five (45) NENA members are
present at any of the regularly scheduled or special meetings, or participate by
voting online for an election or position being taken by NENA.
The online survey was conducted between April 10 and April 13, 2025 and went out
to 280 NENA members who have signed up to receive NENA email alerts.
[“Membership” is defined in our bylaws as “open to all residents, property owners,
business licensees, and representatives of non-profit organizations within the area
described in the Neighborhood Boundaries”]. As part of our ongoing campaign to get
more email addresses for better communication with the neighborhood, NENA
email subscribers were encouraged to forward the survey link to neighbors who are
not subscribed to the NENA email alerts. We asked for addresses as confirmation of
NENA member status.
The email explained the background on how the proposal was initiated, and shared
a link to the proposal submitted to the City Commission, for neighbors to read
before deciding on how they wished to vote. It asked NENA members to vote “YES”
or “NO” on the question:
Should NENA endorse the “Centennial Park Neighborhood—
Conservation in Action: A Resident-led Proposal?”
The result: 51 NENA members voted, with 100% voting “YES.”
Thus, in accordance with our bylaws, NENA endorses the Centennial Park
Neighborhood proposal to classify its zoning under the new UDC as R-A. We
request that you consider the merits of this proposal as well as the desire of the
neighborhood, and vote to honor this request in the new UDC.
Most sincerely,
Amy Kelley Hoitsma, NENA President
On behalf of the Northeast Neighborhood Association