HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-09-25 Public Comment - M. Bateson - City Priorities 2026From:Mary Bateson
To:Bozeman Public Comment; Joey Morrison; Douglas Fischer; Jennifer Madgic; Emma Bode; Alison Sweeney;Chuck Winn
Subject:[EXTERNAL]City Priorities 2026
Date:Friday, January 9, 2026 11:30:09 AM
Attachments:Bozeman_20City_20Commission_20Priorities_202024-2026.pdf
City Priorities 2026.pdf
B3 Building Height Bateson Letter 2026-01-07.pdf
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January 9, 2026
Prepared for delivery in advance of the Jan. 12 City Commission Special
Meeting
Dear Mayor Joey Morrison, Deputy Mayor Douglas Fisher, Commissioners
Emma Bode, Jennifer Madgic and Alison Sweeney, and City Manager
Chuck Winn,
I request that the City Commission reconsider the height limit in B3 zones
in the UDC, and discuss the process for considering this at the January 12,
2026 meeting to “Review Previous Commission Priorities and Discuss
Current Commissions Priorities”. Please decide on a plan to act on this as
soon as possible, before the change to a 90-foot height limit goes into
effect Feb 1, 2026. I suggest that this is the most urgent priority of this
commission.
I have sent a previous letter (attached) with a much longer explanation for
this request, and spoken multiple times to you at the past City
Commission meetings concerning this issue. I am hopeful that you will
address this topic as an agenda item on a City Commission soon.
I hope that you will see the wisdom of retaining the 70-foot height limitin B3 zones.
Below I have collected my comments concerning the other items on the
document titled Bozeman City Commission Priorities 2024-2026
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
Mary Bateson
Bozeman resident
Below in italic are my comments on the 2024-2026 City Commission priorities
list:
An Engaged Community
o Foster and build public trust, support, and pride in local government.
· Yes, please, this is an important priority, which I support
wholeheartedly. A suggestion for doing this is to make it easier to find
recent and historic public comments, city plans, city codes, and documents
of all types. The current search engine is limited, and the organization of
the website confounds me every time I approach it. For example, in order
to find people’s comments concerning your priorities for this year, one has
to follow this very long string of folders: BOZEMAN / City Commission /
Correspondence Public Comment (began 2014 Listed by Topic) / 2026 Public Comment
/ General / Commission Priorities
I was sent via email the 2024-2026 City Commission priorities
document (attached here) that I am using to create this response to you, yet
I cannot even locate this on the city’s webpage. I hope that this could be
improved considerably without breaking the bank.
I am hopeful that the new collaboration between the city and the
Change.org platform will live up to the hope that it creates a more direct
channel for public dialog.
Safe, Welcoming Community
o Develop a Tenants Right to Counsel Program.
Yes, please, with education and mediation its dominant features.
o Develop a comprehensive regional strategy on homelessness.
Yes, please.
o Implement at least 8 recommendations from the Belonging in Bozeman Plan.
Yes, please.
A Well-Planned City
o Rework and restore a new Historic Preservation Policy - including trees and landmarks.
Yes, please. Listen especially closely to the experts and tree
advocates from the Bozeman Tree Coalition.
o Encourage the creation of ADUs in our city through an ADU Incentive Program.
Hmm… While there are many benefits to ADUs, there are also costs to
neighbors and the larger community which include increased need for
services (police, fire, road maintenance, parking). These new units add
value to the owners’ assets, for which they should pay taxes. It is not fair
for me to have to pay relatively more taxes if a neighbor builds an ADU and
then gets a tax break for doing so. I strongly object to giving tax incentives
to those who want to build ADUs. Here are some examples of the costs of
ADUs that I personally experience. I live next door to a person who put in a
lovely ADU, but the windows look straight into my backyard, eliminating
former privacy. ADUs require an increased need for services (alley
maintenance with increased use) and parking. Luckily, my neighbors put in
a parking pad for their ADU. Not all lots could accommodate both ADU
and parking. One clear fact about adding more building to any lot is that
you then have more buildings, and less green space. To me, this is not an
improvement. Increases in density do not come for free, but carry costs if
there is not adequate planning. Please do not lose sight of those issues.
o Create an Affordable Housing Preservation Policy.
Yes, please. Keep what we have, but be mindful of overcrowding already
tight spaces.
o Ramp up the SAFE Plan and become a Gold-level Bike Friendly Community.
Yes please. I highly appreciate bike/walking paths that are separated from
roadways, especially larger busy ones. The bike paths that are merely
stripes on the road, with lots of loose road sand and gravel, and often filled
with parked cars are not safe. When I bike certain sections of 19th (on the
west side between Garfield and Kagy) I use the sidewalk. I am fully
prepared to pay a fine if cited.
Sustainable Environment
o Create a Bozeman Creek Resiliency Plan
Yes, please. With the creek in mind, not just building developers, waders,
and dogs.
As always, I thank you for listening.
Sincerely,
Mary Bateson
Bozeman resident