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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-19-25 Public Comment - L. Semones - please add to the comments on the Bon Ton Historic District Re-zoning Proposal and sent to each City CommissionerFrom:Linda Semones To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]please add to the comments on the Bon Ton Historic District Re-zoning Proposal and sent to each City Commissioner Date:Monday, May 19, 2025 2:08:31 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. I was meaning to give this as public comment at the City Commission Meeting on Tuesday May 20, but I cannot make it fit into 3 minutes. So I am sending it to Bozeman Public Comment in its entirety. Thank you for your hard work and thank you for your consideration of this matter. Linda Semones I am Linda Semones, a Bozeman resident, and member of a city board. Today I am speaking only for myself, I am here to support the Bon Ton R4 neighborhood’s request to be rezoned R2 or RA during the UDC revision process. I request that this group be allowed to use the public comment process, since this area is addressed as part of the Bon Ton Historic District in the Bendon Adams Report and given high historic priority for surveying on page 18 of that document. And on page 30 of that report, the consultants recommend as follows: Goal 3.3 page 30: Strengthen the Historic Core of Bozeman to preserve the community character, economic resource, and historical connection represented by this area. Only changing the zoning to R2 or RA will achieve this important goal for this area. Now I wish to address concerns about sustainability. 5H of the ZMA application checklist asks, “was the new zoning adopted with a view of conserving the values of buildings? How?” First let us look at actual monetary value of the historic buildings in the area. We have seen that the monetary appraised value of historic buildings in R4 zoned areas is meaningless compared to the value of the land, which can be used for development of buildings of greater mass and scale than the existing historic dwellings. Because of this, the old historic buildings are often scraped, materials sent to the landfill, and they are then replaced with buildings of modern architecture. These new ,tall and massive R4 buildings would not in any way be compatible with the smaller neighboring homes. This loss of historic integrity is an economic loss for the neighbors in the area. Preservation tax credits and other incentives are available only to properties with enough historic characteristics to qualify. One criteria they must meet is integrity of setting, meaning the condition of the surrounding neighborhood and structures. An R4 zoning designation would hit the current homeowners as well as any prospective property buyer in the pocket book, and would discourage the renovation and reuse of older homes. Now let us look at the environmental values involved. R2 or RA zoning change would address sustainability in a positive way. Research shows that the most affordable housing is the housing that already exists. Often given the acronym of NOAH housing, these buildings can be renovated and often repurposed to fit within the context of their neighborhoods. If we wish, as a city, to achieve the goal of minimal environmental impact, the concept of reuse and repurpose is central to accomplishing this goal. Working with owners and developers to limit the impact of scraping older buildings is essential. The amount of unrecyclable waste from destroyed structures going into the landfill should be considered under any sustainability plan. We need to encourage restoration rather than replacement whenever possible. A second environmental consideration of changing the zoning to R2 or RA is the effect of R4 zoning and redevelopment on the urban canopy and greenspace. We have seen that in R4 zoning the structures allowed have minimum setbacks, often not allowing the space required for trees to grow. We have also seen trees removed in the boulevards of higher zoned areas, which also removes mature canopy and the benefits derived from mature canopy. Mature canopy will not be replaced by new trees for 20 years. Giving this area an R2 or RA designation allows for the conservation of mature trees, both on private property and on the boulevards. It also encourages the preservation of home gardens and greenspace, as promoted in the Community Growth Plan of 2020. In conclusion, please allow this small neighborhood area to rezone to R2 or RA. Thank you.