HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-31-16 Public Comment - R. Canfield - Black OliveDear Commissioners,
I sent the following message to agenda@bozeman.net more than a month ago. I received no
response. This is not consistent with my past interactions with you, as city commissioners.
The questions posed in my message are extremely important to the future of Bozeman. The
formal Black-Olive proposal is controversial in the eyes of many of Bozeman's citizens. The
Chronicle article of Oct 25 explains the quasi-judicial nature of the review by the commission. It
also explains that the rules can't be changed mid-course. However, it appears that is exactly
what happened on the Element, but for the developer's benefit.
Moreover, the fuse is short. The formal Black-Olive development proposal from HomeBase
Montana is scheduled for the city's Development Review Committee on November 2nd.
As for the questions in my message, for obvious reasons neither no response nor a token
response is appropriate. Thoughtful and deliberate action is imperative.
Richard C. Canfield
726 S. Third Ave
(406) 579-9095
----------------------------------------------
From: The Canfields <dickanddeb@canfields.org>
Subject: Honesty and Integrity
Date: September 20, 2016 at 7:26:17 PM MDT
To: agenda@bozeman.net
Dear Commissioners,
The Black Olive project, which has caused such strong backlash in the community, is proposed
by HomeBase Montana, the developer of the Element Hotel. Thanks to the Design Review
Board chair’s July 27th communication on NextDoor, I am aware that the Element Hotel is not
the project that was approved by the City: “During construction significant design changes were
made [by HomeBase Montana], and only after a sharp eyed planning staff member realized
what was going on did they get called on it. These included changes to the entry, elimination of
paves in motor court, elimination of raised planters in motor court, signage, curtain wall, store
front windows, room air conditioner covers, landscaping, north, east, west, south, elevations,
color, materials, cornice, street level and building envelope to name just a few. In the end the
developer was able to do what they wanted and we now have the result, instead of what was
approved.”
I believe that everyone would agree that especially for major projects, it’s extremely important
for developers to have a track record of honesty and integrity, a history of working
cooperatively with city planning staff, and a demonstrated respect for the process. Perhaps the
strongest sign of respect for the process is that the developer takes great care to ensure all
work undertaken is fully congruent with building plans that have been submitted and permits
that have been issued. Given the fact that HomeBase Montana implemented numerous design
changes to the Element Hotel project without involving city staff, and did not request approval
for its design changes until after much of the work had already been completed, there is
legitimate concern in the community about the developer’s forthrightness.
These actions of HomeBase Montana during the construction of the Element Hotel are serious:
they undermine the entire planning/COA process. The obvious questions were discussed
during the 08 April 2015 DRB meeting: were these actions criminal or simply
disingenuous? There seem to have been virtually no consequences for HomeBase
Montana. Less impactful actions by individual Bozeman homeowners have led to criminal
charges. How does the city justify its lack of any meaningful response to the actions of
HomeBase Montana? How has the city restructured its practices to ensure that discrepancies
like occurred at the Element Hotel do not reoccur in future projects? How can we increase the
transparency of the development process to give the community faith that similar situations
will not recur?
Richard C. Canfield
726 S. Third Ave
(406) 579-9095