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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-06-25 Public Comment - W. Flanagan - Fowler Housing Project - Community InputFrom:William Flanagan To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fowler Housing Project - Community Input Date:Wednesday, August 6, 2025 10:39:18 AM 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. Dear Commissioners, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed housing development on Fowler. I believe this project is a poorly conceived response to Bozeman’s housing challenges and should be rejected. The development has been described as “affordable” or “low-income” housing, but I have not seen a clear definition of what that actually means in this context. Will the City limit rent to 40–50% below the rolling market average for the next 20 years? Will sale prices be similarly restricted? Without long-term, enforceable pricing guidelines, these projects simply operate at full market value, offering no meaningful benefit to the low-income families they are supposedly designed to serve. We have seen similar developments in Bozeman where, despite the “affordable” label, units are priced well beyond the reach of most working families. Allocating public funding or incentives to developments without strict, long-term affordability controls undermines the purpose of low-income housing initiatives. These funds should be reserved for projects that deliver real, measurable affordability for at least the next two decades. In addition to these concerns, I support and would like to reiterate the issues raised by our HOA, which further demonstrates why this proposal should not move forward. See issues listed below for ease of reference. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Bill Flanagan 3168 Oliver Street, Bozeman, MT 59718 wjflanagan@hotmail.com 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.”