EBS STAFF
On Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m., a community forum aimed at discussing the new Bozeman Water Adequacy Initiative will take place at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture’s Crawford Theater. “Bozeman on the Brink” will be hosted by Bozeman realtor Jeremy Seglem, and will include insights from local commissioners Douglas Fischer and Jennifer Boyer, as well as affordable housing expert Nathan Stein, Trout Unlimited’s Pat Byorth and Bozeman Tenants United.
Wednesday’s discussion will follow not only the topic of WARD, but also “the larger issues that we as a community face, from affordable housing to water access to growth and everything in between,” Seglem stated in a recent letter to the editor published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
The controversial ballot initiative, drafted by Water Adequacy for Residential Development, or WARD, would amend the Bozeman Municipal Code to change how water rights are given out to developers. If passed, the initiative would essentially require developers to make 33% of new residential housing units “affordable” if they want to build within Bozeman city limits. As election day approaches, the initiative has voters at odds.
“Now more than ever, it’s important to work together to bridge divides and solve issues that we face, as a community, rather than make impertinent and radical decisions based on grievance and ideology,” Seglem continued in his letter.
The event is free and open to the public.
