HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-29-25 Public Comment - M. Bateson - Housing Affordability, Parking, Signs, Walkability and WaterFrom:Mary Bateson
To:Bozeman Public Comment; Terry Cunningham; Joey Morrison; Jennifer Madgic; Douglas Fischer; Emma Bode;Chuck Winn; Nicholas Ross; Erin George
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Housing Affordability, Parking, Signs, Walkability and Water
Date:Wednesday, April 23, 2025 2:52:30 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
RE: Housing Affordability, Parking, Signs, Walkability and Water
Date: April 23, 2025
To: City Commission, City Manager, Nicholas Ross, Director of Transportation and Engineering,
and Erin George, Director of Community Development
Greetings, I am Mary Bateson, home owner with my husband Frodo Dowdin at 427 N Tracy
Ave since 1987. After attending the April 22 City Commission meeting, I would like to share
some personal observations and opinions concerning these topics (which are tenuously
linked).
On Affordable Housing and Parking. I live across the street from one home that has been
rented the last few months by inhabitants that have at least 5 cars associated. The house next
to it has been rented for several years and has at least 3 cars associated. They are packed
(with nice people). This is what makes these houses “affordable.” But they all have cars.
I applaud measures to encourage affordable housing, and I do not mind more people in my
neighborhood, but I do mind the rodeo of more cars parked along the street. This is especially
a problem in the winter when the streets are covered with snow. North Tracy is one of the
streets with parking on only one side of the street. In the April 22 City Commission
presentation, the “one-sided” situations were not discussed, possibly because these streets do
not pose the safety hazards present on the streets with parking on both sides. However, with
the heavy parking utilization currently seen along this section of the N Tracy, it was extremely
difficult for the City Staff to completely plow the “parked” side of our street. I am certain that
any notice for people to move their cars on the day of plowing was not being received by the
car owners. This was not a massive problem for my husband and I, since we can park our cars
in the garage and driveway. However, we were out helping dig out the neighbors’ cars when
they got stuck in the deep snow (mostly Texas plates, obviously new to snow country).
Because of the need to be able to perform snow removal, I would encourage the city to take
the advice of Nicholas Ross, and continue with the program of enacting parking on alternate
sides of the street on alternate consistent weekdays (Leap Year issues aside). However, for
“one-sided” streets like N Tracy, other measures may be needed. Especially, if there is
increased density encouraged to make more affordable units, or accommodate high rise
hotels, loft apartments, and condos, it also needs to be accompanied by increased on-site, off
street parking for the units (or accessory units ADUs).
Signs. It is a sad fact of life that we need signs. In fact, my husband and I took this matter into
our own hands for the entrance to our driveway. One day Frodo had a doctor’s appointment,
but was blocked in by a construction worker from the “Henry” project. We panicked, and
then contacted the Bozeman police, with the license number of the vehicle. Luckily, they
quickly responded and were able to contact the owner and escort him to his car and he
moved it (as I waved, and he apologized). After that we bought and erected signs on each side
of our driveway that say “No Parking: Do Not Block Driveway.” Ugly, but it has helped. The
police department has approved that we did this.
Walkability. When we moved into our home, I worked at MSU, and commuted to work by
walking to and from (30 minutes each way). Only in the summer did I get on my bike to
commute, as I felt unsafe (or uncomfortable in the cold) on streets in winter. Commuting
using the Streamline bus did not save me much time, due to walking to the bus stop, waiting
for the bus, and then walking to the campus building. It only saved 10-15 minutes on a good
day. I wish that more people could join in the walk, bike, or bus mode of commuting, but it
seems still far off as a comprehensive solution to traffic and parking issues. I am lucky that I
have a husband that drives and does most of the errands and shopping, which is difficult to do
on foot or by bike. It is also hard for most people (myself included) to walk or bike up to
Hyalite or even the “M” for a hike in the woods without a vehicle. In summary, the dream that
most people in Bozeman do not need a car is just that: a lovely dream.
More on Affordable Housing. I appreciate the difficulty of efforts to increase access to
affordable housing in our city (and county). I know we face pressures from people wanting to
join in the benefits of this wonderful place, and that much of this pressure comes from those
who can afford to buy into our housing stock and only use it part time. “Snow-birds” have
been part of Montana for quite some time. It seems to now be getting more common, or at
least is more an apparent problem and aggravation with the high cost and demand for
housing.
Water. I look forward to further investigating the proposal put forth by WARD to link
developer’s use of Cash-Lieu of Water Rights to the requirement for the development to
include at least 33% affordable units. I have received the City Staff slides used to present the
issues with this Initiative, and hope to come to a greater understanding of the matter. Thanks
to City Clerk Mike Moss for sending this so promptly!
I appreciate the work that the City of Bozeman makes regarding Housing Affordability,
Parking, Signs, Walkability, and Water, among many other issues.
Sincerely, Mary Bateson
Copies to:
comments@bozeman.net
TCunningham@bozeman.net
JMorrison@bozeman.net
JMadgic@bozeman.net
DFischer@bozeman.net
EBode@bozeman.net
CWinn@bozeman.net