HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-05-26 Public Comment - J. Knight - Fowler ProjectFrom:Jennifer Knight
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fowler Project
Date:Tuesday, May 5, 2026 9:08:17 AM
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To the Bozeman City Commission,
I live on New Holland Drive, directly adjacent to the area affected by the proposed Fowler Avenue Community
Housing project, and I am writing to state clearly that I do not support this project moving forward.
This is not an abstract planning issue for me. It affects the street I live on, the traffic I already experience, and the
open land and tree corridor that shape the character of this part of the neighborhood. From my perspective as a
nearby resident, this proposal would bring a level of intensity that does not belong here.
The City has publicly stated that this project is still in a consensus-based process and that major issues have not yet
been decided, including housing type, number of units, parking, and exact site design. The City has also said Phase 2
of that process is now moving forward. If that is true, then the City should not move ahead with zoning or other
actions that predetermine the outcome before the public process is complete. Doing so would make the consensus
process feel performative rather than meaningful.
The City also told the public after the August 12, 2025 work session that many decisions were still open, including
how many units would be built and how much parking would be provided. That matters. Those are not minor
details. They are exactly the issues that determine whether a project fits a neighborhood or overwhelms it.
I am especially concerned about traffic, parking overflow, neighborhood access, and compatibility with surrounding
homes. Anyone who lives here understands that these are real on-the-ground concerns, not theoretical ones.
Increased residential density on this parcel would put added pressure on nearby streets, intersections, and curb
space, and those impacts would be felt first by the people who already live here.
I am also concerned about the loss of open land, trees, and the existing landscape features that have long defined this
site. The City purchased this property in 2017, and public records connected to that purchase have been cited by
community members as including commitments to preserve existing trees, open space, and irrigation ditches.
Whether or not the City still intends to honor that spirit, it should. Those features matter to the surrounding
neighborhood and should not be treated as disposable simply because the land is City-owned.
Most importantly, I do not believe this is the right place for this project. I am not asking for a revised version of the
same plan. I am asking the City not to move forward with this housing development on this site.
Please listen to the residents who live next to this property and who will bear the direct impacts of this decision.
Jennifer Knight