HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-31-25 Public Comment - S. Senecal - Community safety concernsFrom:Sarah Senecal
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Community safety concerns
Date:Saturday, May 31, 2025 6:32:43 PM
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City Commission, City Manager, and City Staff,
I am writing to share my concerns for Bozeman residents, especially children, in and aroundFlanders Mill subdivision, specifically on Auger Lane, Sunstone Street and Flanders Mill Road.
There was previously a lot of foot, bike, and vehicle traffic in the mornings and afternoons as
many of our residents have students. However, it has reached an alarmingly dangerous level as
parents of Meadowlark students park along our residential streets for pickup and drop off and now
there is an ever-increasing high flow of traffic parking all along Auger Lane and Sunstone. This
preschool, a commercial business, has relocated the front entrance to directly face our
neighborhood street, and has vastly insufficient parking, 4 spaces for 30-60 drop-offs, so the
majority of their ever-increasing pickup and drop-off traffic is now endangering our residents,
especially our children. Our HOA has prohibitions for commercial businesses in the subdivision for
this very reason, yet somehow this significant safety concern was missed. This is on our streets that
already have limited parking, making it difficult or impossible for garbage trucks, and other utility
vehicles to be able to do their jobs. There is often no place for mail services to pull up during these
times, much less personal visitors or even emergency vehicles. We also have a very large amount of
foot traffic, and cyclists, and I greatly fear for the safety of our children as many of us have observed
a number of close calls! The most ideal improvement would be for the commercial business to
reorient their entrance and increase parking space, possibly even working with the
Church/preschool next door to share added parking. However, even enforcing residents-only parking
along our neighborhood streets, Sunstone and Auger Lane, would greatly increase the line of sight to
see our children and allow for utility, mail, and emergency vehicles to perform their jobs.
As to Flanders Mill Road, I understand having lines drawn was an effort to create atemporary solution to the high school parking shortage, but I very much hope that they will not bepermanent. Not only is it too narrow for 2 vehicles, especially the frequent buses, to safely passthrough, but it also blocks bike lanes. This forces cyclists to choose to risk going down the narrowlane between cars, and slowing traffic, or using the sidewalk which already has a large number ofpedestrians. There are also a number of high schoolers that now picnic lunch on the neighborhoodside of the road, leaving their trash for others to collect. One idea would be to only permit parkingon the school side of the road, blocking off the legal distance from crosswalks and stop signs, untilthe parking lot across Oak is completed and then they could become permanent bike lanes.
My husband was born in Bozeman, and my children are 6th generation Montanans. WhileBozeman has grown and changed a lot over the years, I appreciate all your hard work andcommitment to keeping this an active and safe community to live and raise our children, who arethe future of our wonderful community!
Your concerned citizen,
Sarah Senecal