HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-14-25 Public Comment - S. Mercer - UDC UPDATE- Fraternities & SororitiesFrom:serena mercer
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]UDC UPDATE- Fraternities & Sororities
Date:Sunday, July 13, 2025 2:16:05 PM
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To: Terry Cunningham, Joey Morrison, Emma Bode, Jennifer Madgic, Douglas Fischer
From: Serena Mercer - 922 South 3rd Ave. Bozeman
Please distinguish fraternities and sororities separately from "group living". They may have a
few dozen residents but that is all they have in common with group living.We live in the shadow of MSU, there are all means of student life in our neighborhood and we
welcome the interaction of students and staff, however, Greek Life is on another level. I don't have to list the negatives Greek life brings to residential life. They have an "event"
every week, sometimes more than one, they invite all the members and their guests thusflooding the zone with people and their cars, they keep late hours and the debris left after the
"event" is available to all who live nearby. These organizations that MSU supports as part oftheir student life are simply not compatible with residential neighborhoods.
The city must place Greek life in its own category much like Missoula and Billings. Placement
should only be allowed in commercial zones where residents and their property values areleast affected.
Furthermore, MSU needs to be a stakeholder in where new fraternities and sororities locatewith respect for the neighborhoods. MSU has an entire web page on MSU Greek life and I
quote "Montana State is proud to be the home of four national sororities and eight national
fraternities." If it is proud to be " the home" then it can pony up, work with the city andHOME all new frat and sorority houses in non-offensive locations either on MSU property or
in a commercial zone with parking..
Finally, the city needs to give the residents a break from all the residential trauma it wishes toinflict on our historic neighborhoods. A special designation in the UDC and requiring all new
Greek Life to locate in a commercial zone should be an easy yes.
Thank you for your consideration.Serena B. Mercer