(Updated 11:10 a.m., April 17, 2024)
BOZEMAN — Bozeman City Commisioners voted to reclaim a controversial proposed affordable housing development in midtown Bozeman during the Tuesday night City Commission meeting.
For the last couple of weeks, Bozeman residents have asked city leaders to hold a public meeting on the approval for the project rather than having the site plan be approved by the city’s community development manager.
The proposed five-story development would offer affordable housing, but residents have said that the project doesn’t do much to actually address affordability.
The City Commission will next decide on a date to hold a public meeting on the issue.
(earlier report)
BOZEMAN — On Tuesday night, the Bozeman City Commission will decide whether or not to reclaim approval authority for a controversial affordable housing project after residents voiced concern that the approval was being done administratively.
“We're concerned mostly about the safety, the congestion, and the loss of quality of life that we enjoy,” Says Bozeman resident Scott Boyd.
Boyd has lived in Bozeman’s midtown district for over a decade, but he and his neighbors want commissioners to do a public review on the Guthrie development proposed at 5th Avenue and Villard Street.
“We want them to modify the building as it's proposed. It's too much. It's asking too much for too few people for limited benefit. But we also want them to revisit the affordable housing ordinance that they passed,” says Boyd.
Mayor Terry Cunningham says after several residents voiced their concerns they decided to vote on whether or not the commission should conduct the site plan review.
“A number of area residents expressed a desire for the commission to do so. And so it has is as a result of that,” says Cunningham.
Cunningham says projects like these normally get approval from the community development director.
“The site plan is handled administratively, which is the nitty gritty,” says Cunningham.
Boyd says he’s glad the commission is reconsidering but wants the project to do more to actually address affordable housing.
“The community can provide input and they can craft legislation that does address affordable housing; unfortunately, what they drafted doesn’t do that,” says Boyd.
The city commission will vote to decide if they will consider the project. If they vote yes, they will need to address the project at a later date.
