HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-05-26 Public Comment - M. Campanelli - Housing for all income levels in downtown B-3 is called for in current NCODFrom:Mark Campanelli
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Housing for all income levels in downtown B-3 is called for in current NCOD
Date:Tuesday, May 5, 2026 10:01:31 AM
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Greetings Commissioners,
I was perusing through the existing NCOD Guidelines, and the 2015 amendment added the
following subchapter, the beginning text of which I copy here:
SUBCHAPTER 4-B
GUIDELINES FOR THE B-3 COMMERCIAL CHARACTER AREA
Downtown Bozeman should be the location of buildings of greatest height and intensity in the
community. The following guidelines apply to properties zoned B-3 (Central Business District) that
serves as a transition between the Main Street Historic District and residentially zoned
neighborhoods. Underdevelopment of this transitional zone is a major concern. The downtown
district is planned for continued intensification over time with building additions as well as new
construction replacing dilapidated and underutilized older structures on underdeveloped properties.
Housing–for all income levels–should be encouraged by a variety of methods to support the
continued economic vitality of the Downtown Bozeman business district, which is broadly
recognized as one of Bozeman’s strongest assets.
This chapter contains guidelines for new commercial, residential and mixed use development
located within B-3 zoned areas outside of the defined Main Street Historic District, as shown in
Figure 1.1. Note that buildings individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places or within
designated historic districts are subject to chapters one, two and four, but not this subchapter.
Concerning, in particular, the fate of Fire Station #1 and, more generally, encouraging the biggest
taxable value possible in the intersection of downtown B-3 and the NCOD, I would like to remind you all of
the statement: "Housing–for all income levels–should be encouraged by a variety of methods to support
the continued economic vitality of the Downtown Bozeman business district, which is broadly recognized as one of
Bozeman’s strongest assets." [my emphasis added].
So, how about we back off on surrounding our human-scale core downtown with a ring of90-foot luxury Kardashian hotels and condos, and instead build a more gentle density of
missing middle housing in that ring? The fact that we are missing this stated policy soegregiously seems like a reasonable argument for interim zoning if there ever were one.
Mark Campanelli
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