HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-26-15 Cape Jr. Graf, Saccocia Simmental October 26, 2015
Wendy Thomas
Director of Community Development
City of Bozeman
20 East Olive Street
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman MT 59771-1230
Don Cape,Jr. Gene Graf Philip Saccoccia,Jr.
VC Development, LLC Gallatin Center LP Saccoccia Lands, LLC
1184 North 15th,Suite 4 P.O. Box 906 1234 Springhill School Rd
Bozeman, MT 59715 Bozeman, MT 59771 Belgrade, MT 59714
Dear Wendy,
We hope that this letter finds you well. We are reaching out to you on behalf of Cape France Enterprises,
Gallatin Center Limited Partnership and Saccoccia Lands, LLC. As you may be aware,these three owners
are collectively the legacy developers most directly involved in the evolution and development of the
North 19th Corridor. As a group,we have significant concerns over the Simmental Growth Policy
Amendment that your department is currently reviewing.
Over the years,our collective organizations have invested heavily in both off site and on site
infrastructure along the North 191h Corridor in the expectation that our land holdings would be
developable in the context of a predictable zoning map and that the inventory of B-2 property versus M-1
property would stay balanced. This assumption afforded our organizations a defined supply scenario for
the development of our respective properties thereby allowing us to amortize those infrastructure
improvements over our respective holdings.
The current Growth Policy Amendment application would dramatically change the supply scenario along
North 19th. It is my current understanding that the Simmental GPA will likely be evaluated as a zoning
change to all of the properties located on the east side of North 191h. This would significantly increase the
inventory of B-2 zoned properties and thus have a significant impact to our historical investments in the
infrastructure along North 19th.
Another factor to consider is the impact this GPA would have on the broader inventory of M-1 properties
in Bozeman and specifically M-1 with proximity to the North 191h Interchange. M-1 along North 191h was
appropriate within the 2020 Plan as drafted and this remains a critical zoning designation for the
community and the North 19`h Corridor.
For the legacy M-1 businesses in the affected area,the new zoning designation will generate a new
property tax assessment that their business may or may not be in a position to absorb. The potential also
exists that they would relocate their business to a lower cost site such as Belgrade or Four Corners and
thus displace the higher paying and longer term jobs associated with M-1 businesses with the more
transient and lower paying part time jobs associated with B-2 businesses. The North 191h corridor
currently benefits from a balance of both.
It is our opinion that there is already adequate inventory of B-2 properties along the North 191h corridor.
Additionally,the historical investments made by our organizations were made on a fair assumption that
the inventory of M-1 and B-2 developable land would remain predictable and balanced. We are
optimistic that you will give due consideration to the legacy investments made by our collective
organizations and the impact that this Growth Policy Amendment may have on those investments.
Sincerely,
Don Cape,Jr. e Graf Philip Saccoccia,Jr.
Cape France Enterprises Gallatin ter LP Saccoccia Lands, LLC