BOZEMAN — Development is on the rise in Bozeman, spreading rapidly and now moving south toward Fowler Lane. A new housing proposal has residents in the area concerned in more ways than one.
In a quiet neighborhood just off Stucky Road and Fowler Lane, Tammy Friedlund has spent the last 14 years raising her family, enjoying nature, and embracing the Bozeman lifestyle.
“I love everything about Bozeman — the community, the hiking, the outdoors, and activities. Everything,” Friedlund said.
But about a year ago, she said the neighborhood was caught off guard.
WATCH: Bozeman residents share concerns about Rocky Mountain Flats, a proposed 296-unit affordable housing development near Fowler Lane
“One of the neighbors put out a flier just to make people aware,” she said. “We felt like the city was being a little sneaky about not posting that this was happening.”
Within a year, the area went from a peaceful setting to the site of Buffalo Run Apartments — 237 luxury multifamily rentals.
“Our pushback was we just didn’t feel like the buildings, the project they were wanting to build here, were representative of the neighborhood it was going into,” Friedlund said.
Friedlund and other residents took their concerns to the city, but the apartments went up anyway. That’s why news of another development left them discouraged.
“We were all really discouraged that they were going to build another project,” Friedlund said.
The proposed Rocky Mountain Flats would bring 296 residential units, which appear to be low-income housing, right next to Buffalo Run.
“There’s not going to be enough parking,” Friedlund said. “We’re not sure where people are going to be parking — maybe on the streets here — making it unsafe for kids and pets.”
Only 243 parking spaces are planned for the 296 units. Neighbors are also worried about increased traffic on Stucky Road, impacts on local wildlife, what they see as a lack of communication from the city, and other issues.
BlueLine Development, the project’s developer, responded to questions with a statement from Development Manager Maddy Mason:
“The project was initiated in response to the growing need for specific rental housing options in the state and this area. Our goal is to ensure that Rocky Mountain Flats provides a safe, welcoming, and sustainable housing option for the Bozeman community,” Mason wrote.
The project will use Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and partner with HRDC. All the units will be income- and rent-restricted. Estimated rents could start at $604 a month for a one-bedroom and $937 for a four-bedroom unit.
Friedlund said she and her neighbors support affordable housing in principle, but believe this location could be wrong for it.
“Just to make it clear, the neighborhood and I — we’re not against affordable housing. We’re for affordable housing,” she said.
“This project being developed here in such a rural area with no infrastructure? We worry about the residents who are going to live here. They’re not going to have the support they need as far as being able to have their kids go to school or go to the grocery store. They’re out on an island trying to make ends meet.”
Looking to the future, Friedlund hopes taxpayer input will play a role in planning new growth.
“Take into consideration from the taxpayers how we want to see development happen,” she said. “Because we know it’s going to happen, but let’s do it smart.”
You can read my list of questions and BlueLine Development's response below:
- What is your title/involvement with this development? What is Blue Line?
Title: Senior Development Manager – I oversee the development through all phases: concept, design, construction, project completion, resident move-in, stabilization.
BlueLine is a Development, Construction, and Property Management company specializing in affordable multifamily housing in the Rocky Mountain West. BlueLine Development specializes in creating affordable housing using financing tools such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), HOME Investment Partnerships, the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and other federal, state, and local resources. BlueLine leverages these resources to develop high-quality, sustainable homes that meet the diverse needs of our residents.
- Residents are concerned about safety on the streets. 296 units will bring a lot more people into the area. Especially adding to traffic on Stucky Rd. How do you plan to ensure the area will remain safe?
Rocky Mountain Flats has been designed to be welcoming and safe for residents, visitors, and neighbors. The project will include a comprehensive outdoor lighting plan as well as security cameras and controlled entry systems. The building will have multiple full-time employees on staff. The pedestrian facilities (sidewalks, crosswalks, etc.) are designed to tie seamlessly into existing roadways as well as potential future development. When this parcel of land was re-zoned, that decision considered infrastructure capacity, traffic, proximity to services, as well as long-term housing needs.
As part of the project’s pre-development review process, we commissioned a third-party Traffic Impact Study that concluded that Rocky Mountain Flats will not cause roadway capacity issues at nearby intersections. Specifically, the study determined that all intersections will continue to operate at Level of Service (LOS) B or better, with only minimal increases in delay compared to if the development were not built. The streets and sidewalks on our site plan are designed for smooth connectivity to the surrounding area while maintaining safety measures such as tapered street sections and curb extensions.
- Residents are also concerned with wildlife in the area. How are you maintaining the agricultural and wildlife land you're building on?
We are actively working with several agencies and specialists to ensure the protection and responsible management of the land we are building on. These include a wetland consultant, the Gallatin Conservation District, local agricultural water users, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Together, we are evaluating wetlands and the surrounding ecosystem to help maintain environmental health, protect wildlife habitat, and support responsible land and water management throughout the project, while obtaining the appropriate approvals and designations.
- These apartments are listed as low-income housing. Can you tell me how? Who will be able to live there, and what will be the median price for a unit?
Rocky Mountain Flats is a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit project supported by the Montana Board of Housing and a tax-exempt bond issuance; 100% of the units (296) are income and rent-restricted. These programs ensure that Rocky Mountain Flats will be rented to qualified tenants who earn between 30%-70% of the Area Median Income. Because of this, often LIHTC projects are labeled “affordable” or “workforce” housing, which is no different for the units at Rocky Mountain Flats. The deed restrictions that limit the rents and incomes for residents at the property will remain for at least 50 years. Based on HUD’s current rent and income regulation for the Bozeman area, the monthly rent for a 1-bedroom unit will range from $604-$1,496, 2-bedroom units will be $727-$1,798, 3-bedroom units will be $835-$2,037, and 4-bedroom units will be $937-$2,318.
- What are the next steps? Do you still need to meet with the city? If so, when could the groundbreaking be?
We are finalizing the entitlement process with the City, regarding both the Site Plan and Building Permit issuance, which is a detailed and comprehensive process to ensure that all code, zoning, site plan, engineering, and entitlement requirements are met. We anticipate breaking ground sometime this spring, but no date has been set.
- Any final word to residents in the area with concerns?
This affordable housing project is a collaboration between a Montana-based development company and the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) of Bozeman. The project was initiated in response to the growing need for specific rental housing options in the state and this area. Our goal is to ensure that Rocky Mountain Flats provides a safe, welcoming, and sustainable housing option for the Bozeman community from the start of construction and for decades to come. We pride ourselves on being good neighbors as well as community members and welcome continued dialog in how we maintain that reputation.
