Dear Editor:
We find tactual problems with Denis Pitman’s clarifying his vote on a 96-unit development for 10.77 acres on Barrett Road in the Heights, which was in the 4/12/2018 agenda packet and reported in the Gazette on 4/18/2018 by Mike Ferguson.
While medium density is 6-10 units per acre, this proposal was 96 units on 10.77 acres.
He complains of the impact of the additional traffic. Truth is, there will be a traffic study required in this instance and all future impacts such as the failure of Barrett and Bench as well as other intersections will be addressed and the developer charged with his share of needed improvements.
He claims the property can’t be developed in the county, but fails to understand Montana Code Annotated 17-36-328, which requires all future developments within 500 feet of sewer service to connect to that service. If Billings doesn’t annex this property, that state law will require the city to process the development’s sewage, similar to Lockwood and Phillips 66 agreements.
There is nothing in zoning code that says property owner must occupy the dwelling on the property. There are rentals throughout the Heights and it is impossible to discern which property is owner-occupied and which properties are rentals.
Tom Zurbuchan and Terry Odegard,
Members of the Heights Task Force
Billings Heights
