HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-16-25 Public Comment - A. Lincke - Collaborative UDC RecommendationsFrom:Anja Lincke
To:Bozeman Public Comment; jmadjic@bozeman.net; Emma Bode; Joey Morrison; Terry Cunningham; DouglasFischer; Chuck Winn
Cc:Alison Sweeney
Subject:[EXTERNAL][SENDER UNVERIFIED]Collaborative UDC Recommendations
Date:Tuesday, May 13, 2025 5:39:29 PM
Attachments:sq ft cap proposal.pdfCollaborative Policy Agreements-3.pdf
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Good evening commissioners and staff,
Alison and I have gotten together to illuminate the policies and ideas we agree on, and will be
commenting about them tonight. See attached.
Hopefully this gives you all enough time to consider them in advance of next week's meeting.
Best,Anja
--
Anja Lincke
She/They | Housing Campaign Manager
c: (907)205-0196e: anja@forwardmontana.orgw: forwardmontana.orgcreated with MySignature.io
Anja Lincke, Housing Campaign Manager, Forward Montana.
Generally, Forward Montana supports the idea of graduated FAR or graduated sq. ft. caps.
We have learned that FAR might make it di cult to build small starter homes on small lots,
and might accidentally incentivize lot assemblage. Here is an alternative idea that uses a
graduated sq ft. cap. Additionally, there might be creative ways to move closer to some
secondary community goals. Below is a proposal/idea for what this might look like.
Goals:
★Allow for the flexibility of homes on small lots
★Allow for bigger buildings if they have more units
★Encourage the restoration or re-use of existing structures
★Dis-incentivize the building of large single family homes, especially where that means
redeveloping existing housing
★Potentially leverage the building of bigger homes on greenfields to fund a ordable
housing, social housing, or a revolving housing fund.
By…
★Regardless of lot size (making sure that small lots don’t prevent the building of
starter homes), capping buildings’ square footage based on how many units.
○Start at a cap of ~2500 for a 1 unit building, and +500 sf/ additional unit.
○This initial 1 unit sq. ft. cap could be reduced in historic overlay or where
redevelopment would be required
○Both attached or detached homes should be allowed!
★Adding incentives to keeping existing structures or reusing materials
○+1000 sq ft for preserving existing structure, no permitting fees.
○+300 sq ft for reusing the majority of salvageable materials.
★In projects that would not require the redevelopment of any structures, allow for a
“cash-in-lieu” of base sq ft cap.
○For example, if you want to build a one unit home that is larger than 2,500 sq
ft, you can pay. That money could then go into a pot to fund social housing,
a ordable housing, or a revolving fund.
○In established neighborhoods, vacant lots can be developed using cash-in-lieu
through a variance.
We recognize that there are many state law restrictions that might apply to this idea.
Additionally, before implementation, these numbers should be expertly assessed for
feasibility.
Collaborative Policy Agreements
May 13th, 2025
To: The Bozeman City Commission and Sta
From: Anja Lincke and Alison Sweeney
We have come together and identified a few areas of policy where we have
alignment, and hope that these policies are represented in the final UDC.
-Allow internal subdivision of existing buildings by right, and eliminate any
related fees and parking requirements.
-Eliminate language about “4 unrelated occupants”.
-Consider this .sq ft cap proposal
-Policies that support the formation of “community nodes”with neighborhood
scale commercial.
-Consider moderate code departures to make ADU projects more feasible.
-Strengthen ordinances that ensure that ADUs do not turn into short
term rentals.
-Where possible, leverage any incentives (TIF, favorable loans from a
revolving fund, etc.) to require long term rentals.
-Consider removing the requirement for ADUs/ tiny homes to be on
permanent foundations while still ensuring homes are safe to live in.
-Ensure manufactured homes are allowed in every zoning district.
-We generally support the policies outlined in the Strong Towns Housing
Ready Policy Toolkit 1
Signed,
Anja Lincke, Housing Campaign Manager at Forward Montana
Alison Sweeney, Chair of the Better Bozeman Coalition
1https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53dd6676e4b0fedfbc26ea91/t/67b744f40b30173eed3dfca0/17400
64010957/The+Housing-Ready+City.pdf