HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-04-26 Public Comment - A. Davies - Please play an active role in relocation oof Babcock post office From: Ann Davies
To: Bozeman Public Comment
Subject: [EXTERNAL]Please play an active role in relocation oof Babcock post office
Date: Monday,May 4,2026 2:58:15 PM
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To our city commissioners:
I appreciated aspects of Doug Fischer's op/ed in the Chronicle on 4/30/26,particularly that it
opens with kids being able to bike safely around town, friendly visits to Owenhouse, and the
fact that many of us "want a downtown that still feels like our downtown."A critical part of
that downtown involves having a post office that helps anchor a business district that is bike
friendly, walkable, and still serves Bozeman citizens, not just visitors frequenting high-end
shops. Among the great benefits of the Babcock station is its accessibility. Its proximity to
high-density neighborhoods and downtown businesses make it easy for many to walk or bike
to it, as well as to combine visits to it with other errands at downtown businesses. USPS states
that a new location will be within 3 miles of the Babcock station. I fear that such a radius will
result in a post office on a busier street, far less convenient for bikes, and farther from the
locally owned businesses that Bozeman citizens rely upon, such as Owenhouse Hardware and
the Country Bookshelf.
I request that the city commission enter into active conversations with the USPS to
ensure the USPS for the 59715 zip code continue to be located in downtown Bozeman, as
close as possible to the current station.
The loss of the USPS lease suggests that the current home to the Babcock station will be sold
by the federal government in the next few years. Recognizing that the Commission can't
prevent that sale, I fear that the current development codes that the deputy mayor encourages
us to give a chance to work will result in the building of more high-end condominiums or yet
another hotel. While this possibility fills me with dread, what I seek here nonetheless aligns, I
believe, with what Doug Fischer has proposed. If we need to allow the new UDC play out,we
should also be able to take concrete steps independent of the UDC that preserve our
downtown. For the city commission to be as proactive as possible in preserving a downtown
location for our post office seems like one way to move forward in that spirit.
Thank you for your consideration!
Ann Davies
607 S. 7th Ave.
Bozeman, MT 59715