HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-06-25 Public Comment - J. Backes - Fowler Street Housing ProjectFrom:John Backes
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fowler Street Housing Project
Date:Tuesday, August 5, 2025 3:15:46 PM
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To: City Council and Staff
From: John Backes 941 New Holland Drive Bozeman, MT 59718
I have attended numerous meetings and information sessions regarding this project. I
have discussed the project with neighbors and others. While I have no objection and
support the use of the city owned property for affordable housing, I completely endorse
our Harvest Creek HOA's objections and concerns related to this project:
Zoning and infrastructure.
Functionally undevelopable as R-3 due to its narrow width at 150’, limiting
internal infrastructure options.
No road buffers the development from Harvest Creek—unlike other R-3/R-1
interfaces in Bozeman.
Development would rely heavily on Harvest Creek roads, which were not
designed for high-density traffic.
Caterpillar Street would split the proposed community in half.
Setbacks and Residential Impact on 21 owners' adjacent properties.
Proposed 3- and 4-story buildings would be within 20’ of single-story homes
on New Holland Drive.
Half of the development’s parking would border property lines, raising
concerns about:
Vehicle emissions and idling
Noise and headlights
Nighttime disturbances
A 6’ privacy fence does not address these concerns or compensate for the
limited setbacks.
Loss of Green and Community Space
The current plan lacks sufficient green space, especially compared to similar
projects:
Bridger Views offers 50% green space and sits adjacent to a 40-acre
park.
The Fowler project offers less than 15%.
The project removes a well-used community green space behind New
Holland Drive. Alternative land use is the Fowler Trail system from Main St to
north Bozeman.
Traffic and Parking
Increased traffic into Harvest Creek (New Holland Dr., Caterpillar, and
Farmall). HC wasn't designed to sustain high-density development.
No clear plan for Fowler Avenue’s long-term infrastructure (e.g., expansion
to 3–4 lanes).
Inadequate parking for the unit price points.
No consideration to alter Fowler Ave for street parking for the development.
Concern that tenants’ overflow parking will resemble issues seen on Michael
Grove and Tschache Lane, east of 25th - the streets and Rose Park parking
lot are full of tenants’ second and third vehicles and recreational
vehicles/boats.
Affordability and Market Need
Questions remain about whether the units meet Bozeman’s affordability
needs.
Price estimates range from $450K–$650K.
Currently, 271 non-single-family units are available on Zillow under
$550K.
Building new may not be the most cost-effective solution at this time.
Adapting housing designs from densely populated metropolitan areas with
over 1 million residents—such as Salt Lake City, New York City, or Seattle—
to Bozeman may be unsuitable.
Process, Notification, and Property Rights
Concerns over a rapid approval timeline limiting thoughtful public
discussion.
Lack of early engagement and notification for affected property owners.
Residents have known about future Fowler Road construction for
years.
However, no notice was given about dense housing being built within
20’ of property lines.
Standard land-use practices (e.g., pre-zoning during annexation planning)
were not followed.
Property buyers had no way of anticipating this development when
purchasing their homes.
Property Value Impact
No property value assessments currently reflect the impact of an adjacent high-
density project.
A $100K drop per home could represent a $2.1M loss for 21 directly
affected homes—and potentially a >$10M loss neighborhood-wide.
The City appears to prioritize one land use (high-density housing) over
existing residential uses—placing the burden of change on current
homeowners for the “greater good.”
I am particularly concerned and object to the setbacks and lack of green space
injected by the proposed design of this development. I urge the Commission and
staff to have the common sense and respect for existing R1 communities to make a
greenway from the east city property line to the west of approximately 45' with an 8'
fence separating Harvest Creek properties from the development. A bike/hike trail
10' wide down the center would provide safe, quiet through access for pedestrians
and bikes. Just a reminder: the "greater good" should always focus on existing
neighborhoods first and new development second when it comes to impacting
existing taxpayers' property.
Thanks for listening...John Backes