HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-18-25 Public Comment - J. Mangold - Centennial Park NeighborhoodFrom:Jane Mangold
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Centennial Park Neighborhood
Date:Tuesday, November 18, 2025 7:51:48 AM
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Dear Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, and Commissioners Madgic, Fischer,and Bode:
My comment concerns the Centennial Park Neighborhood (CPN) and the
recommendation from the Community Development Board (CDB) to change the currentUDC draft zoning map from R-A to R-B for said area. I attended the CDB meeting virtually
on Monday, 11/17, and would like to draw your attention to some of my take-aways.
· The decision to recommend R-B instead of R-A zoning is an 11th hour decision
by them after months of engagement by my neighbors and me, residents in otherparts of the city, city staff, and you, most of whom have supported R-A zoning for
CPN. In addition, listening to the discussion they had on this agenda topic, therewas good reasoning provided as to why CPN should be R-A, for example it fits
what is currently on-the-ground, it honors the wishes of those living in theneighborhood, it abuts a recently constructed, large affordable housing project,
and others. Yet, in the last minutes of their discussion they raised a friendlyamendment that completely changed the course of their decision.
· Their recommendation goes against evidence presented by those in favor of
R-A, including the proposal we submitted that had support of over 51% of CPNproperty owners, our follow-up amendment to the proposal, research of
professors at MSU, the expertise of city development staff, and publiccomments. I won’t go into that evidence here because it is recorded elsewhere,
but in my opinion they did not provide any evidence for R-B instead of R-A; theirdecision seemed to be grounded in their preference and unease with the process.
· As for process, my neighbors and I have responded to what we have been
advised to do by city staff. We have asked on different occasions if we would havean opportunity to provide a presentation as an agenda item on a CDB or City
Commission meeting, which would likely have stimulated healthy discussion onthe R-A zoning request from city board members, staff, and residents and make
us all more comfortable with the request. That opportunity was never offered sowe continued as directed. And, as far as opportunity for public input and
notification on our request and the concern from the CDB that that has not beenallowed, hasn’t the UDC update engagement process over the past 24 months
been a public process, open to any and all who choose to participate?
I will close my comment by stating that I still support R-A zoning for CPN as well asthe Bon Ton neighborhood and I strongly urge you, as the ultimate decision makers,
to support this as well.
Jane Mangold, CPN resident