HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-19-25 Public Comment - N. Fitzmaurice - Public Comment Re-Natural Resources and Unified Development CodeFrom:Nicholas Fitzmaurice
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment Re-Natural Resources and Unified Development Code
Date:Sunday, August 17, 2025 7:55:36 AM
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Dear Commissioners,
In the time I’ve called Bozeman home, I have watched as the rapid, sprawling expansion of
the city has consumed surrounding open spaces, ecosystems, wildlife habitats, agricultural
lands, and transformed the landscape as we know it. Over the same time, I have witnessed
the skyrocketing costs of housing drive my hopes of eventual home ownership further and
further out of reach. I understand why so many people desire to live in such a special
corner of the world, and I have no place saying they shouldn’t be here. But we need to do a
better job planning for and directing this growth towards urban densification to build a
stronger, healthier, more efficient, and more resilient community rather than stepping back
and just seeing what happens.
By allowing for denser development within city limits, we can grow our city while improving
mobility for Bozeman residents with more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods and more
robust public transit systems, all taking advantage of the geographic proximity that urban
densification brings. These healthier modes of transportation are also far cleaner for the
environment and our climate, while lowering households’ transportation costs. Denser
development also makes for more efficient use of our scarce water and energy resources
so they can continue to serve our growing population. Building more housing is part of the
solution to the affordability crisis we face today, and infilling that housing within city limits is
the rational thing to do. I appreciate your time and consideration of my comments as you
examine and modify the City’s Unified Development Code to conserve our precious natural
resources.
Thanks,
Nick Fitzmaurice
Bozeman Resident