HomeMy WebLinkAboutParking Public Comment on Catkin regarding Kathy Madsen 5-2-14From:Scott Lee
To:kathy@caymanholdings.com
Cc:Brit Fontenot; Carson Taylor; Chris Kukulski; Chris Mehl; Chuck Winn; Cyndy Andrus; Greg Sullivan; I-Ho
Pomeroy; Jeff Krauss; Agenda
Subject:RE: Street Parking on Catkin 3163 Catkin
Date:Monday, May 12, 2014 9:30:32 AM
Ms. Madsen,
This is Scott Lee, Parking Manager for the City of Bozeman. You and I have
spoken several times in the past regarding the parking on Catkin Lane. As I
have explained to you previously, the street on which you live, as with most
streets in the City, is not regulated (permit required). Even if a permit were
required, any vehicle displaying the required permit would be allowed to park
anywhere in that permit district. As with all streets in Bozeman, people are
allowed to park their vehicles in any space available as long as it is a legal
parking space (not yellow zone, not posted no parking, not blocking a driveway
or crosswalk, etc). There is a 48 hour ordinance (vehicles must be moved
every 48 hours), but to my knowledge, the vehicles that are parked on that
street have been moving at least this often as I do not think my officers have
cited anyone there for this violation. There are no driveways on your side of
Catkin to block, and the crosswalks are at the end of the street nearest Fen and
Blackbird, and the remaining area is available for vehicle parking. I have asked
my officers to make additional patrols thru this area. We can only enforce the
city ordinances and we do not determine who a vehicle belongs to, where they
live or who they are visiting, for citation purposes. As long as the vehicle is
legally parked, the parking department will take no action on the vehicle.
The streets in the city (including Catkin Lane) belong to the city, and everyone
who pays taxes to the city is paying for all streets in Bozeman not just the one
they live on. As with all cities that I am aware of, everyone has a right to park
on any street in that city unless signed otherwise or on a private road (not
owned by or maintained by the municipality). A common misconception is to
think of the street directly in front of a person’s residence as their street and
their parking space(s). But the street and thus all the parking spaces on the
street belong to the city. The city does not guarantee that any resident will be
able to park their personal vehicle or their guest’s vehicles in front of their
home. All city street parking is a first-come basis. If a residence has off-street
parking, then they may or may not have reserved parking spaces, but this is not
under the purview of the city. Even if a person has off-street parking (driveway
or other location) they are not required to use this, nor does the city mandate
that they do. The streets are available for parking for anyone as long as they
park legally according to the city ordinances and state statutes.
The city ordinances regarding parking at located at the city website
(www.bozeman.net) and you may wish to review them.
Sincerely,
Scott Lee
Parking Manager
City of Bozeman
406-582-2903
From: Aimee Brunckhorst On Behalf Of AgendaSent: Monday, May 12, 2014 8:20 AMTo: Scott Lee; Brit Fontenot; Carson Taylor; Chris Kukulski; Chris Mehl; Chuck Winn; Cyndy Andrus;Greg Sullivan; I-Ho Pomeroy; Jeff KraussSubject: FW: Street Parking on Catkin 3163 Catkin
Aimee BrunckhorstDeputy City ClerkClerk’s OfficeCity of Bozeman, Montana
From: Kathy Madsen [mailto:kathy@caymanholdings.com] Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 1:31 PMTo: AgendaSubject: FW: Street Parking on Catkin 3163 Catkin
Please read this is the second time I have sent this email and have yet to get a reply. Note I have also
sent several emails from Jamie who manages the HOA in Cattail. I really need a solution to my
parking issues.
Subject: FW: Street Parking on Catkin 3163 Catkin
I live and own the house located at 3163 Catkin Lane. Since last fall, I have never been able to park
in front of my home. It took me 3 times to get my sprinklers blown out, because the truck can’t
reach 2 houses down. None of my visitors can ever park in front of my home. I can’t get my carpets
cleaned or my couches out of the front of my house. Unfortunately, I didn’t build the house never
to access my front. In fact, all the houses on my block have sprinklers which blow outs are on the
side of the homes. In addition, I feel no ambulance could ever access the front of my home and I do
know time does kill (my mother was an EMT in the state of Connecticut for 30 years). I tied talking
to the renters across the way at 3156 A & B, but was told they will park wherever it is convenient for
them to park and clearly they don’t know how to parallel park and refuse to park on their side of
the street. I will not be turning on sprinklers this year because I can’t go through the same problem
as I did last year. And what this means is the tress will get no water and I will not be mowing the
boulevard. I have attached an email from Jamie the head of Cattail’s HOA and you can see this is a
problem. Note I did 2 Sundays ago call them in when they were parked going the wrong direction,
but all that did was cause them to call me names (someone told them I called them in; believe it was
the police). I really don’t even feel safe at my house. I have spoken to a realtor who thinks this
parking problem will make it more difficult to sell my house. I really feel this is unfair to me and I do
believe the City is somewhat to blame. The condos across the way do have some street parking in
front of their units (maybe 1 or 2 spaces), but the real issue is the lack of parking in the back and
lack of consideration others show towards each other. Perhaps the City should think about a City
wide parking permit fee. The unit owners would be able to purchase 2 permits per unit which they
could hand out to serviceman and visitors. Tickets should also be handled out when people
deliberately block access to others homes when in fact there is parking in front of their own home.
This would probably take care of at least some of my problems.
Kathy Madsen
Controller
125 Central Ave.
Unit 1A
Bozeman, MT 59718
Phone: 406-556-4657
Fax: 406-586-3099
From: Jaymie Larsen [mailto:cattailcreekhoa@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 12:13 PMTo: Kathy MadsenSubject: RE: Street Parking on Catkin 3163 Catkin
Hi Kathy,
Wanted to quickly respond back to you before I forget. Ive been out of town, sorry for thisdelay.
I did talk with parking enforcement and since the renters arent doing anything illegal theycant do anything, however, I was given another officers information who may be able to help.
I will track him down in the next few days.At this point if you want to give your note to the renters that is up to you. I certainly
understand your frustration. I will also go and talk to the renters, call the managementcompanies, peak and management associates, and mail a letter to the owners.
I have driven down catkin during the day a few times and there is a white vehicle withwyoming plates always sitting in front of your house. There can be no one else parked on the
street and three vehicles parked in a row right in front of your place.
Jaymie Larsen
On Apr 24, 2014 8:45 AM, "Kathy Madsen" <kathy@caymanholdings.com> wrote: