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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-02-26 Public Comment - C. Ogilvie - Rocky Mountain Flats 25296From:Craig Ogilvie To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]Rocky Mountain Flats 25296 Date:Sunday, February 1, 2026 8:52:07 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. I support the City of Bozeman’s goal of increasing the supply of deed-restricted affordable housing and appreciate the effort to advance projects that respond to this critical need. My comments focus on procedural compliance and consistency with the City’s adopted planning policies, which are essential to ensuring that affordable housing projects are successful, equitable, and durable over time. Public Notice Notice signage for this project (Rocky Mountain Flats 25296) was placed only on the western side of the property. The eastern side of the site directly abuts existing residential areas and is where affected residents would reasonably expect to see public notice. As a result, individuals most directly impacted by the proposal were not provided adequate opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. The City’s noticing standards state that notice is required “in order for citizens to participate in decision making which affects their interests and provides opportunity to receive information pertinent to an application that would not otherwise be available to the decision maker.” Additionally, the noticing instructions specify that “multiple notice boards may be provided depending on the project size and location,” which appears applicable in this case given the site context. Because notice was not provided in a manner reasonably calculated to reach affected members of the public, the intent of the noticing requirement was not met. I respectfully request that the application be paused and re-noticed in compliance with City standards before further consideration. Consistency with Adopted Affordable Housing Policy Bozeman’s signed Affordable Housing Ordinance from the commission includes findings that emphasize not only the production of affordable units, but their location and long-term viability. Specifically: Finding 4: “The Bozeman Community Plan 2020 establishes goals, objectives and policies to increase the supply of affordable housing in the city including: Goal N-3, Policy N-3.3, which encourages the “distribution of affordable housing units throughout the city with priority given to locations near commercial, recreational and transit assets;” Finding 5: “The Bozeman Community Plan 2020 encourages compact, contiguous development and infill development to achieve efficient use of land and infrastructure and reduce urban sprawl”. The proposed site does not appear to align with these adopted policies. It is located far from essential daily services and employment centers, which are critical to the success of affordable housing residents. For example, the site is approximately 4.2 miles from Montana State University, 3.6 miles from commercial services on West Garfield, 4 miles from the nearest grocery store and pharmacy, 3.8 miles from the nearest elementary school, and 3.5 miles from the nearest Streamline bus stop. Locating high-density affordable housing at the outer edge of the city, without proximity to transit, services, or employment, increases transportation costs for residents and undermines the policy objective of reducing sprawl through compact development. Affordable housing is most effective when it reduces—not increases—household transportation burdens and improves access to opportunity. Parking and Secondary Impacts The proposed parking supply appears insufficient for the number of units and may result in predictable spillover into surrounding areas. Current Bozeman Unified Development Code provisions require adequate parking to avoid negative spillover impacts and to minimize impacts on abutting development. Bozeman’s current UDC Sec. 38.540.010 states that adequate parking is needed to “avoid the negative impacts associated with spillover parking into adjacent neighborhoods” and the newly adopted UDC Sec. 38.260.090. - “Parking location. A. Parking in Setbacks 1. Purpose To minimize the impact of parked vehicles on the public realm and abutting development”. While I am aware that recent state legislation will eliminate minimum parking requirements for deed-restricted affordable housing, those provisions do not take effect until October 1, 2026. Until that time, existing local standards remain applicable. Applying Bozemam’s current code to reduce spillover would support both residents of the development and broader city parking management goals. If the project proceeds with the proposed parking levels, it may necessitate additional municipal actions such as the nearby establishment of a Residential Parking Permit District, creating avoidable administrative and enforcement burdens for the City. Conclusion Affordable housing is most successful when it is thoughtfully sited, aligned with adopted policy, and reviewed through a transparent and inclusive public process. I respectfully request that the proposal be paused and re-noticed to ensure proper notice is provided. I also request that the project be evaluated for consistency with the Community Plan and Affordable Housing Ordinance findings before moving forward.