HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-12-25 Public Comment - M. McHugh - Comments for Commission Workshop 8-12-25 Fowler Housing DevelopmentFrom:Mary McHugh
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Comments for Commission Workshop 8-12-25 Fowler Housing Development
Date:Friday, August 8, 2025 12:56:03 PM
Attachments:8-8-25 JEA Supp Comment Letter.doc
8-7-25 Letter to City Commissioners.doc
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Please provide the attached comments to the Commissioners for their Workshop on August
12, 2025 on the Fowler Housing Development. Thank you.
Mary Frances McHugh and Joe Allison
Date: August 8, 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
SUPPLEMENTAL COMMENT.
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.
The community land trust concept should be used to facilitate fourteen (14) affordable
family homes consistent with the adjacent Harvest Creek.
The community land trust is basically subsidizing home ownership by providing free land so the buyer is paying only for the building. The principle is the same for fourteen
units as it is for eighty units. It is the same land either way.
The differences are that a fourteen unit development avoids the parade of horribles described in the Harvest Creek HOA letter and honors the original concept that the Fowler Street extension was intended to relieve traffic on New Holland and return that
street to a family friendly neighborhood street.
'
Date: August 8, 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
SUPPLEMENTAL COMMENT
I urge the Commissioners to adopt the suggestions of the Harvest Creek HOA (HCHOA).
Does the City want to use Public Funds to harm its citizens?
There is no compelling reason, and no ‘reasonable’ reason, for the City to shift to the surrounding homeowners the burden of solving affordable housing by jamming a high density project onto this sliver of land.
Public funds can be used for affordable housing. The policy question is how much to spend. A
policy of developing affordable home ownership is, without argument, a public purpose. But, the
public purpose ceases when the exercise of power in support of the policy overreaches such as
does this proposed development. Spending public funds to place 84 housing units onto a narrow
strip of land is more than the surrounding community can absorb.
Why seek to build 84 units when it is easily justifiable to build 18 single family residences consistent with abutting development? Is it the cost of the developer? The City does not do this type of building; obviously, it will be contracted out; and single family residences might not pencil out for a profit for a developer.
If the intent is to expand the density of housing into the remaining unincorporated parcels in the
future, use the eventual “boundary” of the Fowler connection. This project could be re-designed in
anticipation of the foreseeable consequence of development to the west of the Fowler connection.
Limit the buildings on this sliver of land east of the Fowler Connection, that’s a move toward your
goal. Engage the public on how the remaining lands to the west of Fowler will be treated. Give the
public a better product.