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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-04-25 Public Comment - M. McHugh - Comments for Fowler Development Project City Commission Workshop on August 12, 2025From:Mary McHugh To:Bozeman Public Comment Cc:Mary McHugh; mary57joe@snowcrest.net; Erin Allison Subject:[EXTERNAL]Comments for Fowler Development Project City Commission Workshop on August 12, 2025 Date:Saturday, August 2, 2025 12:44:32 PM Attachments:7-23-25 Letter to City Commissioners.doc8-2-25 Letter to Commision JEA.docx 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. Date: August 2, 2025 To: The Commissioners, City of Bozeman Re: The Fowler Housing Development proposed for development of the land between Durston and Oak along the Fowler Avenue extension and the Fowler Avenue connector (Project) From: Mary Frances McHugh, Owner, 3144 Rose Street, Bozeman, MT 59718 I urge the Commissioners to adopt the suggestions of the Harvest Creek HOA (HCHOA), and this is why. Problematic Parking or Street Storage Intrusions. As a property owner adjacent to the Project, I am very familiar with the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CCRS) which exist of record against every single lot in the subdivision. Recorded with the County on December 22, 1999 (copy attached), these restrictions run with the land and pass along to every successor landowner the burdens first established when the subdivision was developed. Indeed, these restrictions were probably a condition by the City for development approval. Parking and storage of commercial, recreational vehicles and inoperable vehicles or equipment, on or off street is not permitted except under strict compliance with the CCRS. As HCHOA points out in its comments on the Fowler project, parking overflow from the Project into the Harvest Creek subdivision is a big concern. How will these neighborhoods enforce the rules they must abide by when they cannot control who or what is parked or stored on the street in front of their home? What about the rest of the Wholly Enclosed lands? The entire area south of Oak to Durston bounded by the Harvest Creek and Oak Springs developments is about 45 acres (the “area”). That area is an island of unincorporated land within the City limits of Bozeman. Altogether the City parcel and other 6 parcels are a significant piece of land which would be imminently developable. The treatment of this property by the City will set the stage for later development of the remainder of the unincorporated island. Future expansion into the “area” is a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the Project, and prior notice would help to identify and address any impacts. This is wholly enclosed land, which can of course by annexed under Montana law. But, doing it piecemeal deprives the surrounding properties of adequate notice to plan for impacts created by annexation. It’s the camel’s nose. Once the camel pokes his nose in your tent, pretty soon, you will have the whole camel inside. Is this a Good Use of Public Funds? I have concerns about economic practicability. The City will be a developer. That is at cross purposes to the City’s goal of creating affordable homeownership. There is not enough room on the 10 acre parcel to make a profitable development and also achieve this goal. Date: August 2, 2025 To: The Commissioners, City of Bozeman Re: The Fowler Housing Development proposed for development of the land between Durston and Oak along the Fowler Avenue extension and the Fowler Avenue connector (Project) From: Joseph Allison, Owner, 3144 Rose Street, Bozeman, MT 59718 Dear Commissioners: I am an owner of a home in Harvest Creek and I support of the comments presented by the Harvest Creek Homeowners Association. I urge the Commissioners to adopt the suggestions of the HCHOA. I am concerned the Project will increase density without accommodating a transition. Uses on either side of this Project are R-1 and R-2 (see attached City zoning map). This project would be R-3 and install 84 units in the five acres available. The density increase would be from 6 units per acre to as much as 17 units per acre. The Fowler Avenue extension will evolve into a natural boundary between the Harvest Creek and Oak Springs subdivisions. The uses on either side of that boundary should be compatible with existing uses, especially since there is no designated buffer between the Fowler project and Harvest Creek. The parking proposed for the project of 1.6 spaces per unit is clearly too few with the inevitable consequence that Harvest Creek streets will serve to accommodate overflow parking and vehicle storage from the Fowler project. It is understandable that a prime concern of the City is to provide affordable housing. In this case, however, it is the policy that is designing this project. Fitting this project to a policy has the consequence of burdening the neighboring communities with diminution of value due to congestion, loss of natural light, open space and privacy, and isn’t going to come anywhere close to solving the problem of affordable housing, rental or otherwise.