HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-10-26 Public Comment - A. Johnson - Hanson Lane App 25775 Annexation and Zoning_2 From: Audrey Johnson
To: Bozeman Public Comment
Subject: [EXTERNAL]Hanson Lane App 25775 Annexation and Zoning
Date: Friday,April 10,2026 8:28:21 PM
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I am writing today to express my significant concerns regarding Application 25775 for the
Hanson Lane annexation and R-B rezoning. As a long-time homeowner on Oliver Street, I
have watched the west side of Bozeman grow, and I actively participate in city commission
meetings, always advocating for thoughtful development. This proposal, allowing buildings up
to 45 feet and 5 stories, is simply inappropriate for an area predominantly surrounded by
single-family R-1 and R-2 homes. It's a textbook example of spot zoning,which as I
understand it, violates Montana law. This isn't just about this one parcel; approving R-B
zoning here sets a dangerous precedent for every other parcel along Fowler Avenue between
Durston and Oak, threatening to transform our quiet, single-family neighborhood into a high-
density corridor.
Furthermore, extending Annie Street as a through-road towards Emily Dickinson Elementary
without guaranteed traffic calming measures is a grave concern for pedestrian safety. I walk
and bike through this area regularly, and my children attend a nearby school, using these very
roads daily. Adding high-volume traffic to inadequate residential streets like this is asking for
an accident. The city's claim that R-B is justified by an"Urban Neighborhood" designation
rings hollow when there's no transit, and the closest shopping is over a mile away. Our
community deserves R-A zoning, which aligns with the existing development pattern and
preserves the character and safety of Harvest Creek as one of the last single-family home
neighborhoods on the west side of Bozeman. I strongly urge the Community Development
Board and City Commission to reject R-B zoning for Hanson Lane and instead pursue R-A, or
better yet, include this parcel in the larger consensus process for the area.
Audrey Johnson