HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-19-26 Public Comment - J. Luebeck - Public Comment on Fowler Avenue Housing Development From: Jennifer Luebeck
To: Bozeman Public Comment
Subject: [EXTERNAL]Public Comment on Fowler Avenue Housing Development
Date: Sunday,April 19,2026 10:13:55 AM
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I am strongly opposed to the high-density Fowler Housing Development currently
proposed between Oak and Annie Streets. I am a Montana native and a 25-year resident of
Bozeman in my Harvest Creek home. I understand how important the balance between growth
and preservation is for Bozeman,but it's clear that this proposal blatantly ignores preservation
in the interest of forcing misaligned density housing into the midst of a single-family home
residential area. While I recognize the need for new housing,placing four and five-story
buildings on a narrow 150-foot strip of land directly against our backyards is an irresponsible
use of space.
I've learned that the city's 2017 purchase agreement for this land included a commitment to
preserve the irrigation ditch, trees, and open spaces that serve as vital wildlife corridors. That
makes sense -this patch of land provides a true viewscape and wild area that is desparately
needed to maintain Bozeman's character. This proposal ignores those promises, proposing
housing that will loom over existing neighborhoods along with narrow alleyways and parking
lots with inadequate traffic flow that will create chaos and dangerous traffic conditions on
narrow residential streets (e.g., Farmall, Caterpillar).
This project will permanently damage the sense of community I have witnessed develop in
this part of Bozeman over 25 years. This proposal does not meet its presumed goals of
"affordable housing" and instead pursues high-density expansion simply for the sake of the
building and speculation market while destroying an established community. I request that the
city honor the consensus-based engagement process agreed upon in January and postpone any
zoning actions until a plan that reflects our neighborhood's scale—such as two-story structures
with adequate buffers—can be reached.
Jennifer Luebeck