HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-24-25 Public Comment - A. Totten - In Support of Preserving Existing Zoning on East CurtissFrom:Alison Totten
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]In Support of Preserving Existing Zoning on East Curtiss
Date:Sunday, November 23, 2025 10:31:31 PM
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November 23, 2025
Hello Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Commissioners, and Community Development Department,
I’m writing today to strongly and respectfully urge you NOT to upzone the church and the three
small homes on East Curtiss from R-2 to B-3. This proposed change would have lasting
negative effects on our National Register Historic District and would significantly destabilize a
neighborhood that has been thoughtfully cared for over generations.
Residents in this area have invested decades into restoring and maintaining their homes.
These efforts were made with the understanding that the zoning in place would safeguard the
historic district and maintain a compatible neighborhood fabric. A move from R-2 (R-A) to B-3
represents an outsized jump in allowed intensity.
As you know this area is part of the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD),
which exists for an important reason. As stated in the municipal code:
“The intent and purpose of the conservation district designation is to stimulate the restoration
and rehabilitation of structures, and all other elements contributing to the character and fabric
of established residential neighborhoods and commercial or industrial areas.”
Upzoning these parcels to B-3 undermines that very purpose. Allowing such an intense level of
development would erode the historic fabric the NCOD was designed to protect. It would also
set a dangerous precedent for other neighborhoods, weakening the very tools meant to
safeguard Bozeman’s historic areas.
My own home located at 318 S. Tracy Avenue was built in 1890 and represents a piece of
Bozeman’s early history. It is a perfect example of what makes this neighborhood so special.
Like many of my neighbors, I have invested significant time, money, and effort into restoring
and maintaining its historic character. Preserving homes like mine isn’t just about architecture
— it’s about protecting the character, scale, and sense of place that make this neighborhood
so unique and so loved. Upzoning to B-3 would invite development pressures that these fragile
historic properties simply cannot withstand. It would fundamentally alter the charm,
walkability, and livability that drew many of us to this neighborhood in the first place.
As Bozeman continues to grow, we all want to ensure that progress does not come at the
expense of the very neighborhoods that define our city’s history and character. Preserving
historic districts is a critical part of that balance. I ask that you please honor the intent of these
protections and leave these properties at R-A in the Development Code update.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your thoughtful consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Alison Totten
406-539-2598