Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-20-15 Neese Comment zoning change and annexation for 3000 Stucky RoadFrom:River Inn To:Tom Rogers Subject:zoning change and annexation for 3000 Stucky Road Date:Monday, July 20, 2015 2:52:33 PM To whom it may concern, I am feeling a great deal of frustration with the zoning activity and annexations, that seem to be on a fast and furious track in Gallatin Valley. In one breath our planning department for Bozeman and Gallatin County preached protection of the 20 acre buffer zone that was put in place historically to protect agriculture. Much of this buffer zone has remained agricultural in nature, and an adjacent property to the 3000 Stucky Road Plan is now a large vegetable farm that is yielding hundreds of pounds of food for Gallatin County. But now it seems our agricultural buffer is going to be swallowed up. The zoning change for this buffer is not going to remain larger parcels or agricultural parcels at all. It is being proposed to change to high density R-4 apartments, this is a huge leap of change that gobbles up more agricultural land. Stucky Road, the main road that the development is proposing for exit and entrance for this development, is not even up to county standards, this road has already had a major increase in traffic that is backing up from the only light on to 19th street. It has no shoulder, no bike lanes, deep ditches, high speeds, many accidents and very high water table. If an improvement is done just for the section that the development is at, that will not solve the traffic issues on Stucky that already exists. A nearby example of fast track development is Meadow Creek subdivision, more agricultural land that was rezoned and annexed into the city. That subdivision has had problems from the get go with snow removal and maintenance for the open space that is supposed to be done by the city. If the city cannot care for what they have now, how are they going to care for what they add? The change from agricultural land to R-4 seems out of line. We should think hard about how we want to have our city developed and why. This should not be at the expense of the open space that historically was designed to keep the rural and agricultural character of this part of town. There is still plenty of room for infill within the city. Some county officials have described this zoning change as a done deal with no recourse. If this is so, we might just say "Goodbye open space and agricultural land in Gallatin County". Thanks, Ursula Neese Delores VanZyl 5532 Fowler Lane Bozeman, MT 59718