HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-18-25 Public Comment - M. Center - Fowler Housing Development - support for affordable housing; concerns about this projectFrom:Meredith Center
To:David Fine
Cc:Bozeman Public Comment; Nicholas Ross
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fowler Housing Development - support for affordable housing; concerns about this project
Date:Friday, July 18, 2025 11:21:07 AM
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Dear Mr. Fine,
I am writing to express my strong concerns regarding the current plans for the Fowler Housing
Project. I would like to first affirm my support for affordable housing in Bozeman. I believe that by
engaging with the community and exploring options, the city will be able to create affordable
housing that is respectful to the current community and homeowners, to the environment, and to
the future homeowners of this affordable housing project.
Based on the current, limited information publicly available, the proposed plans do not appear to
embody responsible planning and community well-being. My concerns include:
1. Overdevelopment of a Small Parcel: Attempting to place 84 units – the majority of which will
be 4-stories—on approximately 5 acres is excessive and inconsistent with surrounding
development patterns. 2. Inadequate Road Infrastructure: The only access points are narrow residential streets
(Farmall and Caterpillar), which are not designed to handle the increased traffic.3. Parking Deficiencies: With no street parking allowed on Fowler Avenue, overflow will
inevitably spill into nearby neighborhoods. The current plans are for 3-bedroom units with
1.67 parking spaces/unit.4. Land Trust Model Issues and housing design: The structure limits homeowners’ ability to
build equity, reducing incentives for long-term maintenance and investment. The current
plans also include 11 ft wide 4-story homes.5. Traffic and Safety Impacts: Increased traffic will affect Harvest Creek creating safety
concerns, undermining one of the stated benefits of the Fowler Avenue extension.6. Insufficient green space: The current plans appear to allocate very limited shared outdoor
space for the housing project; environmental stewardship appeared to be a concern of the
Fowler Avenue Connector project, but not for this project.7. Lack of Coordination between the Fowler Avenue Connector Project and The Fowler
Housing Project: According to available information, both projects are meant to be under
construction in the summer of 2026 directly touching each other but are not coordinated. On
the July 2025 60% Walking Tour Boards for the Fowler Ave Connector Project, there is no
mention of the Fowler Housing Project. This lack of open communication is concerning.
I am respectfully requesting the city to provide responses to the concerns above, more opportunities
for public engagement, and to reconsider the existing plans. With stronger engagement with
community members, I believe this project can be revised to better reflect responsible planning,
community input, and long-term sustainability.
Sincerely,
Meredith Center
1026 New Holland Dr.
Bozeman, MT 59718