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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-19-25 Public Comment - M. E. Spogis - Support for Centennial Park Neighborhood Conservation in Action ProposalFrom:MaryEllen Spogis To:Bozeman Public Comment; Erin George; Terry Cunningham; Joey Morrison; Jennifer Madgic; Douglas Fischer;Emma Bode Subject:[EXTERNAL]Support for Centennial Park Neighborhood Conservation in Action Proposal Date:Sunday, May 18, 2025 9:52:13 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. Dear Commissioners and Staff, I write with strong support, highly recommending your vigorous consideration for theCentennial Neighborhood Park (CPN), neighbors lead, zoning change proposal in the UDC update. I would like to focus on the liveability & reality in regards for a rigorous & adequate transportation plan, especially in light of the following. Within only 2 blocks to 1/2 mile, inless than a few years, there now exists 13,(!), new six-stories high-rise, mostly built within a mere 5’ of property line, and other approved variances. These include the massive 7 WestlakeHeights apartment buildings, each with just one allocated parking spot per 1-4 bedroom apartments, located on North 3rd, 2 blocks from Centennial Park. The other close by 6 six-story complexes are: the AC Hotel, the Henry, the upcoming Hotel Bozeman, The Ives, One11, & the upcoming Guthrie.To date, only two of these 13, six-story complexes are inhabited. And, as I’m sure you’re already aware, there is already significant and problematic congestionwhere North Tracy meets Mendenhall for access to the AC hotel, as the builder was granted permission not to include a circular driveway access point, which most hotels possess, forguests/valet service/shuttles to enter and leave the building. Both sides of N Tracy are roped off with cones and tape, allowing for only 1 lane of traffic. What will transportation and parking look like in both the CPN & nearby neighborhoods when all 13 buildings are fully inhabited?For example, there are approximately 224, 1-4 bedroom apartments, in Westlake Heights on N 3rd. Being rather conservative, Centennial Park neighborhood will be experiencing an influxof roughly 700 people when all 224 apartments are filled. I ask, with the other 6 HomeBase Partners’ multi-rises, just blocks away, what will be the total number of new residents?Do you know the numbers? What is the current population of the Centennial Park neighborhood?The continued influx of commuter/airport traffic/ residents, with the 600 additional HomeBase residents, giving a total of approximately 1,300 new residents, (6 HomeBase high-rises, plus7 Westlake Heights buildings), the Centennial Park neighborhood cannot adequatelysupport more development of this kind, if zoning is not changed to RA within the UDC. Current infrastructure is already strained. Furthermore, as it stands now, I predict the neighborhoods bracketed by Main Street andTamarack, with Rouse & North 7th, will be in need of traffic control, even with the current 13 high-rise, and with no zone changes, will cost the city even more for after-the-fact-trafficcalming strategies: traffic circles, traffic flow surveys, speed bumps, and residential parking permitting, and eventually, as in other cities, will need to address the cut through commutertraffic, that are not on artery flows, via implementing ‘no access’ during morning and evening commutes, for example, 7-9am and 4-6 pm.Also increased policing, in our already struggling police force numbers, park maintenance, sidewalk installation, (much of the CPN lacks sidewalks), to name a few. I implore the commission and staff to consider this Zone change as forward thinking, as the density already in place will already require significant transportation structural changes. Aproper transportation plan is not in place, as developers apparently submit their own transportation plan , which appears a formality at best, and with clear conflict of interest inplace. Lastly, please know there is alignment with Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 2023, &alignment with Bozeman Community Plan (BCP) 2020. In summary, honoring Centennial Park Neighborhood’s code change within the UDC lessensthe burden on transportation and parking related issues in the neighborhood, other close by neighborhoods, and the mixed, existing historical nature of the CPN's varied architecture,in light of hundreds of new apartment units soon to be inhabited nearby. Sincerely, M.E. McNeil Spogis PS: I highly suggest, feet- on -the -ground, or a drive by, to better understand both this letter, and more importantly, a deeper comprehension for the Centennial Park Neighborhood RAzone request.