HomeMy WebLinkAboutSouth University District Public Comment from Scott Heck 2-14February 3, 2014
Re: Re: Proposed RTR Holdings Project,
Dear City Commissioners,
As quoted in the Bozeman Chronicle concerning this project,
Commissioner Taylor believes that “what we have is a project that
meets the needs of the community, and the sooner you get it done the
better” and Mayor Becker believes that the applicant has done a “Nice
job. With these comments, coupled with a 4-0 vote, I see little hope
that my comments will be taken into consideration concerning this
project. Even so, I am compelled to write. I, along with the other
business owners in the Stadium Center complex, will have to live with
the consequences of this development for many years to come.
My first concern is foot traffic. One only has to walk the MSU campus
to grasp the concept that the shortest distance from point A to point
B is a straight line. Unfortunately, the Stadium Drive complex
straddles that straight line between the proposed project and the
campus. Just as the campus is crisscrossed with multiple foot trails,
we will experience the same problem. I guess we could put our
sprinkler systems on motion detectors as a deterrent. But seriously,
we as a business group will have to plant hedges or build fences to
mitigate the migratory habits of our new neighbors. I don’t believe
that should be our problem.
My second concern is Arianna Way. Currently, this street intersects
the proposed State Street. I don’t believe the original design was
flawed but it was based on the original zoning. Now, with the higher
density this roadway will present itself as the “escape route” for the
traffic snarl that the new density will most certainly create. Yes,
the roads within the Stadium Drive development are for the public’s
use. But I would ask that you remember, as in most new commercial
developments, the property owners are fully responsible for the
maintenance and upkeep of our roads, not the City. It seems to me to
patently unfair to open limited volume/access interior roads,
maintained by a small group of property owners to this potential
volume of traffic. I can hear the comments now…oh, people won’t cut
through. Yes they will!!! If you are going to approve this project,
you need to close/abandon Arianna Way.
And finally, the current roads in the area are not design nor built
for the volume of traffic that is to come. I can see the SID for road
improvements coming in my rearview mirror. It is only the amount of
time that must pass before it over runs us all.
Regards,
Scott Heck
1982 Stadium Drive