HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-03-25 Public Comment - E. Darrow - Darrow_ Public Comments to Community Development Board, City Commission & Community Development DepartmentFrom:Elizabeth Darrow
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Darrow: Public Comments to Community Development Board, City Commission & Community
Development Department
Date:Monday, November 3, 2025 9:25:05 AM
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Darrow- UDC Public Comments.docx
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Hello City Clerk,
Please distribute this letter /public comment attachment to Community
Development Board, Community Development Department and the City
Commission.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Darrow
603 West Babcock StreetBozeman, MT59715
also text is here:
Elizabeth Darrow: Public Comment: Draft UDC Nov 3, 2025
Dear Members of the Community Development Board, Community Development
Department, and Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, Commissioners Madgic,
Fischer, Bode:
Thank you for the diligent work that has gone into the Unified Development Code by the
Commission, City Staff, Advisory Boards and all the community in Bozeman. It is a
monumental effort, and its ramifications will affect the way of life in the Gallatin Valley for
decades to come. My comments come from a place of respect for that work — and from my
deep belief that the UDC must reflect what Bozeman residents consistently value most:
livability, neighborhood integrity, and true affordability.
Bozeman is not suffering from a shortage of housing; we are struggling with a shortage of
housing that people can afford. Bozeman is ground zero for a market urbanism that
operates without regard for this self-evident truth: "one size does not fit all". A major city of
millions is not the same as a small town. Bozeman's unique character, and its citizenry,
demand that distinctions guide every decision about density and height, transitions,
setbacks, and design standards. If we allow greater height or unit counts, where is the proof
so far that there has been a measurable, lasting affordability? Growth should serve our
community, not the other way around.
Therefore, I urge you to keep the current residential unit counts as proposed in the draft
and to preserve the Existing Building Alternative in the R-A zone. These are fair, balanced
approaches that emerged from community collaboration. Likewise, maintaining the R-C unit
cap at 24 preserves the important middle ground between R-B and R-D — offering room for
moderate growth without overwhelming established neighborhoods.
In terms of form, I strongly support lowering the R-A height limit to 34 feet. It’s a modest,
climate-appropriate, and community-scaled solution — allowing good design, solar
compatibility, and neighborhood harmony. Similarly, please avoid upzoning along 11th
Avenue between Babcock and College. That corridor already functions well, with diverse
housing and a strong sense of connection to Cooper Park and Irving School. Building a wall
of tall structures there would isolate our neighborhoods, does not strengthen them. Long
ago a former City Planner/Director of CD, Wendy Thomas warned against this and now it
has become an ill-conceived reality.
Wendy Thomas, Community Director of Development 2016
Our B-1 zones, too, should remain true to their purpose: neighborhood-scale commerce
that supports, rather than overshadows, nearby residents. Smaller buildings, limited to5,000 square feet and 30 feet in height, will help ensure local businesses can thrive and
retain the welcoming human scale that defines Bozeman’s best places.
Finally, I urge you to comply with SB 243 without going beyond it. Any added height in B-3
or B-P districts must come with a clear and binding affordability component. Height is a
public asset — it should never be given away without a public return.
Bozeman’s character has always derived from thoughtful stewardship and a shared sense
of scale. Let’s build on that tradition by ensuring our new UDC strengthens what already
works, supports what’s truly needed, and honors the community that calls this place home.
Thank you for your time and for your dedication to Bozeman’s future.
Elizabeth Darrow & Jim Walseth
603 West Babcock Street
1
Elizabeth Darrow: Public Comment: Draft UDC Nov 3, 2025
Dear Members of the Community Development Board, Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, Commissioners Madgic, Fischer, Bode:
Thank you for the diligent work that has gone into the Unified Development Code by the Commission, City Staff, Advisory Boards and all the community in Bozeman. It is a monumental effort, and its ramifications will affect the way of life in the Gallatin Valley for decades to come. My comments come from a place of respect for that work — and from my deep belief that the UDC must reflect what Bozeman residents consistently value most: livability, neighborhood integrity, and true affordability. Bozeman is not suffering from a shortage of housing; we are struggling with a shortage of housing that people can afford. Bozeman is ground zero for a market urbanism that operates without regard for this self-evident truth: "one size does not fit all". A major city of millions is not the same as a small town. Bozeman's unique character, and its citizenry, demand that
distinctions guide every decision about density and height, transitions, setbacks, and design standards. If we allow greater height or unit counts, where is the proof so far that there has been a measurable, lasting affordability? Growth should serve our community, not the other way
around. Therefore, I urge you to keep the current residential unit counts as proposed in the draft and to
preserve the Existing Building Alternative in the R-A zone. These are fair, balanced approaches that emerged from community collaboration. Likewise, maintaining the R-C unit cap at 24 preserves the important middle ground between R-B and R-D — offering room for moderate growth without overwhelming established neighborhoods. In terms of form, I strongly support lowering the R-A height limit to 34 feet. It’s a modest, climate-appropriate, and community-scaled solution — allowing good design, solar compatibility, and neighborhood harmony. Similarly, please avoid upzoning along 11th Avenue between Babcock and College. That corridor already functions well, with diverse housing and a strong sense of connection to Cooper Park and Irving School. Building a wall of tall structures there would isolate our neighborhoods, does not strengthen them. Long ago a former City
Planner/CDB, Wendy Thomas warned against this and now it has become a ill-conceived reality.
Wendy Thomas 2016 Our B-1 zones, too, should remain true to their purpose: neighborhood-scale commerce that supports, rather than overshadows, nearby residents. Smaller buildings, limited to 5,000 square feet and 30 feet in height, will help ensure local businesses can thrive and retain the welcoming human scale that defines Bozeman’s best places.
2
Finally, I urge you to comply with SB 243 without going beyond it. Any added height in B-3 or B-P districts must come with a clear and binding affordability component. Height is a public asset
— it should never be given away without a public return. Bozeman’s character has always derived from thoughtful stewardship and a shared sense of
scale. Let’s build on that tradition by ensuring our new UDC strengthens what already works, supports what’s truly needed, and honors the community that calls this place home. Thank you for your time and for your dedication to Bozeman’s future. Elizabeth Darrow & Jim Walseth 603 West Babcock Street