BOZEMAN, Mont. – On Monday, the Bozeman City Commission was asked to rezone two vacant lots located on Durston Road near North 19th Avenue from R-1 Residential to R-0 Residential Office.
The owners of this property, Bobby Smith and Charles Parks, said at the meeting that the growth the city has seen has paved the way for this zoning amendment. They said even though they do not have a plan of what they intend to build on the property, there is a need for it to have more flexibility in what could be constructed at the site. Neighbors, however, disagree.
“Our biggest concern is increased traffic, congestion, accidents, our property rights, uniform zoning, spot zoning,” said North 18th homeowner Beth DeShazo. “I can envision more parking issues, along with people trying to cross from the north side of Durston to North 18th or back again. People are basically stupid and will cross in the middle of a street.”
Another neighbor, Bob Locker, said the future development of this property would go against the neighbors’ covenant.
“Our feeling, and my feeling is, we were misled when the Parks sold us the lot and our house, which is on three-quarters of an acre that it was definitely not more and no less than single-family zoning,” said Locker.
Commissioner Terry Cunningham said the need for more housing in a city that gains residents daily outweighed everything else.
“So we are trying to fit four pounds of flour in a two-pound sack, and we are not going to get there through annexation alone. So as a commission I think we need to climb the highest hill, and use the loudest megaphone and announce to the residents of Bozeman, things are going to get more crowded around here.”
There were eight protests received, accounting for more than 25% of the surrounding neighbors. This required a supermajority vote from the commission in order for the zoning change to take place. The commission voted 5-0 for the amendment, saying it met all of the state and city requirements.
Deputy Mayor Chris Mehl did say he appreciated the comments from the public and even though the zoning amendment went through the process, there are many more robust steps the applicant will have to take before a building can be constructed.