A settlement has been reached between the City of Bozeman and disgruntled residents in Bridger Creek Phase 3. The lawsuit, filed by 22 property owners in the neighborhood, came in reaction to the discovery of gases leaking into homes from the nearby landfill.
Bozeman City Commissioners approved to settle with the home owners for $7.5 million. The settlement will also wipe any liability from the City of Bozeman, minus a few outstanding lawsuits also affiliated with the landfill leak. Taxpayers will pay $750,000 for the case, while 2.5 million will be paid by Golf Course Partners (developers of nearby Bridger Creek Golf Course) and its engineering firm Morrison and Maierle.
The remainder of the bill will be paid by Bozeman’s insurance. This settlement also allowed a dispute between the City of Bozeman and its insurance holder to end as well.
So far, Bozeman had spent 2.6 million on expenses related to the landfill lawsuit. They plan on spending $300,000 a year to monitor and clean up the area as well. From the City’s perspective, paying $7.5 million up front was a good business decision for Bozeman moving forward.
The neighborhood, constructed in 1996, serves as a reminder to home owners to fully understand any property they wish to purchase. Even if a home owner believes they know everything about their home, unforeseen contingencies may always change a property’s value and safety. Buying a home is complicated—doing the proper due diligence can bring much more peace of mind in real estate.
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