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Last week, Billings City Council held a public hearing and took their first vote to require that new residential subdivisions include street lighting. We've testified numerous times to the Planning Board and then City Council, providing information on the safety benefits and need for lighting standards. At the same time, we're in agreement with the arguments of opponents, concerned about how the regulatory burden contributes to the the cost of housing.
At the end of the day, we've got to do both—build safety into our city and reduce the cost of housing. We greatly appreciate Councilmembers Owen and Aspenlieder's emphasis on and charge to city staff to find efficiencies with its permitting and inspection processes that are likely to at least offset the costs of adding lighting.
We want to say THANK YOU to those Councilmembers voting in favor of building safety into Billings neighborhoods.
Councilwoman Kendra Shaw—Ward 1
Councilman Ed Gulick—Ward 1
Councilwoman Jennifer Owen—Ward 2
Councilwoman Denise Joy—Ward 3
Councilman Scott Aspenlieder—Ward 4
Councilman Dan Tidswell—Ward 4
Councilman Mike Boyett—Ward 5
Councilman Tom Rupsis—Ward 5
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