HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-10-26 Public Comment - S. Bieluch - Formal Objection and Call-Up Request regarding Application 23245 (811 W Mendenhall)From:Scott Bieluch
To:Bozeman Public Comment; Emma Bode; KBZK Newsroom
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Formal Objection and Call-Up Request regarding Application 23245 (811 W Mendenhall)
Date:Friday, April 10, 2026 12:14:02 PM
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To: Bozeman City Commission & Department of Community Development
From: Scott Bieluch, Resident (W Lamme St)
Date: April 10, 2026
Subject: Formal Objection and Call-Up Request regarding Application 23245 (811 W
Mendenhall)
To the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners,
I am submitting this public comment to formally request a call-up and full public
hearing for the 95-unit residential project at 811 W Mendenhall. As a resident directly
impacted by this proposal, I have identified several critical deficiencies where this
project fails to comply with the City’s own development standards and negatively
impacts our community’s quality of life.
1. Failure to Meet Parking and Traffic Standards (UDC 38.540)
Under UDC Section 38.540 (Off-Street Parking), the City requires sufficient parking to
prevent spillover into residential neighborhoods. This project proposes 95 high-
density units with a parking ratio that heavily relies on on-street capacity.
The Deficiency: The project’s reliance on the narrow corridor of North 8th Avenue for
overflow parking creates a significant safety hazard. This street is already
overburdened; adding high-volume residential traffic and on-street congestion directly
violates the City’s mandate to maintain safe and efficient traffic flow.
Safety Risk: The increased density at this specific intersection creates blind spots for
pedestrians and local traffic, failing the "Health and Safety" requirements of the UDC.
2. Incompatibility with Neighborhood Character (UDC 38.300)
The UDC 38.300 (Design Standards) emphasizes that new developments must
transition appropriately to existing residential neighborhoods.
The Failure: A five-story building at this location is an aggressive departure from the
existing single-family and low-density residential context of West Lamme and West
Mendenhall.
Impact: The sheer mass and scale of the structure will cause significant "shading" of
adjacent properties and a loss of privacy for long-term residents, directly violating the
intent of the R-O (Residential-Office) and R-2 buffers nearby.
3. Procedural Deficiency in Public Notification (UDC 38.220)
As a property owner within 150 feet of the site, I have previously raised concerns
regarding UDC 38.220 (Public Notice). The administrative approval of this project
was moved forward without adequate outreach to those most impacted. This lack of
transparency prevents the Commission from hearing vital testimony regarding local
infrastructure capacity, including drainage and snow removal issues that already
plague this block.
4. Negative Impact on Property Values and Quality of Life
The City’s Master Plan aims to protect established neighborhoods while growing.
This project does the opposite:
Property Values: By introducing high-intensity commercial-style residential density
into a quiet area, the project creates an "appraisal shock" for neighboring
homeowners.
Quality of Life: The inevitable noise, light pollution, and the loss of street parking will
degrade the "quiet enjoyment" of our properties—a fundamental right of Bozeman
residents.
Conclusion:
This project represents "density at any cost" rather than "responsible growth." I urge
the Commission to call up this site plan to ensure the developers are held to the same
standards as the residents they are displacing or inconveniencing.
Sincerely,
Scott Bieluch
From:Scott Bieluch
To:Bozeman Public Comment; citycommission@bozeman.net; Joey Morrison; Emma Bode; Douglas Fischer; JenniferMadgic; asweeney@bozeman.net; Bozeman City Clerks Department; egoerge@bozeman.net;abently@bozeman.net; KBZK Newsroom; citydesk@bozemanchronicle.com; City Desk
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Supplemental Technical Objection: Application 23245 (811 W Mendenhall)
Date:Friday, April 10, 2026 4:15:13 PM
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To: Bozeman City Commission; Community Development Department
From: Scott Bieluch (Resident & Business Owner)
Date: April 10, 2026
Subject: Supplemental Technical Objection: Application 23245 (811 W Mendenhall)
To the Commission,
I am submitting these additional comments to specifically identify where Application
23245 fails to meet the mandatory requirements of the Bozeman Unified
Development Code (UDC). Administrative approval of this project was in error, as the
plan lacks the necessary mitigation for its intensity and scale.
1. Violation of Snow Storage Requirements (UDC 38.410.120)
The Requirement: The UDC requires that all multi-unit developments provide
adequate on-site snow storage that does not interfere with visibility, parking, or public
rights-of-way.
The Failure: With a footprint this large and a high-density 5-story design, the current
site plan provides insufficient ground-level space for snow storage.
The Impact: As we have seen with other recent projects in Midtown, this leads to
developers illegally pushing snow onto public sidewalks and N. 8th Ave. This creates
a safety hazard for pedestrians and violates the city’s maintenance standards,
directly degrading the accessibility and quality of life for established residents.
2. Failure to Mitigate Traffic & Safety Hazards (UDC 38.520.040)
The Requirement: Infrastructure must be "adequate to serve the proposed
development" without creating "undue traffic congestion" or safety hazards.
The Failure: The traffic impact study for 811 W Mendenhall fails to account for the
cumulative impact of 95 units exiting onto the already narrow and congested corridor
of N. 8th Avenue.
The Impact: The resulting "on-street spillover" will turn our residential street into a
high-risk corridor. This is a direct failure of the city to protect existing property owners
from the negative externalities of high-intensity commercial-style residential growth.
3. Non-Compliance with Outdoor Lighting Standards (UDC 38.550)
The Requirement: The "Dark Skies" and Lighting standards require that light be
contained on-site and not create "light trespass" onto adjacent residential properties.
The Failure: A 5-story building of this height, featuring 95 residential units, will create
a massive vertical "wall of light" that the current plan does not adequately shield.
The Impact: This creates a permanent nuisance and loss of "quiet enjoyment" for my
property and others on W. Lamme St., effectively eroding the residential character
and property values we have maintained for decades.
4. Insufficiency of Water and Sewer Capacity (UDC 38.520.060)
The Requirement: Applicants must demonstrate that public facilities have sufficient
capacity to serve the project.
The Failure: There is no evidence in the public record that the aging clay pipes and
infrastructure under N. 8th Avenue have been stress-tested for a sudden load of 95
new households.
The Impact: Residents bear the risk of system failures and basement backups. I
demand a full, transparent audit of the utility capacity before any final site plan
approval is granted.
Closing:
The UDC is not a "suggestion" for developers; it is the law.
By approving this plan administratively, the city is ignoring these clear deficiencies. I
request the Commission call this project up for a public hearing to address these non-
compliance issues.
Sincerely,
Scott Bieluch