HomeMy WebLinkAboutPreapplication Community Meeting_SDP SubmittalPreapplication Community Meeting Documentation.
This documentation is provided as a requirement of the City of Bozeman Affordable Housing Ordinance for developments using Type A incentives.
1. Community Meeting Overview
A community meeting was held on April 4, 2025 to inform residents and property owners about the proposed Northern Residences development and to solicit feedback.
The meeting was at the Bozeman Public Library, 626 E Main St, Bozeman, MT 59715.
2. Notice of Meeting
At least 20 business days prior to the meeting, notice was mailed by first class mail to all property owners and mailing addresses within a 200-foot radius of the project site at 621
W Mendenhall Street, Bozeman, MT 59715.
Notice was also emailed to the following city officials and neighborhood representatives:
Emily Kiely, City of Bozeman Neighborhood Liaison (ekiely@bozeman.net)
Emily Talago, Chair of Midtown Neighborhood Association and InterNeighborhood Council (emilytalago@gmail.com)
3. Meeting Notice Contents
A copy of the mailed Notice is included in the Site Plan Application and meets all requirements listed under this section.
4. Meeting Details
At the community meeting, the development team presented project information, proposed incentives, and addressed topics including design, transportation, parking, and affordable housing
provisions.
Written comments were accepted for 10 business days after the meeting.
5. Meeting Materials
No materials were distributed during the meeting.
6. Summary of Community Comments and Concerns
Parking: Concern about worsening parking availability in the Midtown District. Neighbors would like to see options for public parking, in addition to residential spaces.
Construction Impacts: Concerns about construction-related traffic and worker parking affecting nearby businesses.
Alley Use: Residents noted the alley is used as a shortcut and that vehicles speed through it. Questions were raised about the length of closure and whether it will be repaved post-construction.
Pedestrian Safety: Requests for enhanced pedestrian protections and sidewalk detours during construction, noting issues at a nearby site.
Landscaping: Desire for more mature trees at the outset of the project. Suggestions included replanting trees removed from other construction sites.
Public Transit: Suggestion to upgrade the Streamline bus stop along Mendenhall, including covered seating and heated benches.
7. Written Comments Received After Meeting
“On Sat as I was sharing with our neighbor about the new building (he's a renter and was unaware of the meeting). We were probably out front of the houses on W Mendenhall for 15 minutes
or so
and we saw 3, I repeat 3 wrong way drivers on W Mendenhall in that short time!!! The wrong way traffic is a huge daily problem and should be a concern of yours, especially coming out
of the garage.
On Sun. our grandgirls and the neighbor boys were riding their bikes on the sidewalks of N 5th, W Mendenhall then through the Eckroth parking lot, back to the alley, making a nice loop
for them. I am very concerned for the increased traffic on the alley. This is still a very residential area with kids, pets but most concerning are the 'blind, hidden' driveways that
come off the alley. Is there any way you would consider posting a sign similar to the one that currently stands by Eckroth's entrance onto the alley that says no right hand turn?
It is super faded and not enforced but when Video Library was at that location, the traffic was so heavy that it was necessary to try to keep the flow onto N 7th and not the alley.
The sign would need to be moved to be visible to those exiting the parking area.
It would super helpful for us if you would be able to keep us informed of when the road and/or alley will be closed so we can give our customer's a warning and try to figure out an alternative
way for customer's to get to us. We have a small retail space for walk-in customers. They are currently struggling to find parking with all the workers from the Freestone construction.
Our elderly customer's don't want to park blocks away, nor should they have to.”
8. Meeting Materials
No materials were distributed during the meeting.
9. Response to Community Feedback
Site plans are being adjusted where feasible. Traffic control, pedestrian protection, and coordination with City departments will be prioritized.
Parking: We are exploring the feasibility of incorporating a limited number of public parking stalls into the project and are open to a public-private partnership with the City if viable.
Construction Impacts: We will develop a construction traffic and parking management plan to reduce impacts on adjacent businesses and provide advanced notification of any closures.
Alley Use: The project will include traffic calming measures and signage to discourage alley use as a thoroughfare and enhance safety. The alley will be restored post-construction, we
are open to discussing additional improvements to the alley with the City.
Pedestrian Safety: We will incorporate improved pedestrian protection measures around the site during construction and evaluate best practices from other local projects.
Landscaping: The landscaping plan includes planting more mature trees where feasible. We are also considering transplanting suitable trees from other development sites.
Public Transit: We are engaging with Streamline to evaluate an upgrade to the bus shelter located on W Mendenhall St.
Wrong-Way Drivers: We will coordinate with the City on potential signage enhancements and traffic flow measures at the garage entry/exits to address wrong-way driving concerns on W Mendenhall.
Business Notifications: We will keep local businesses informed of all road and alley closures and provide signage and detour information to help direct customer traffic.