HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-19-19 Public Comment - J. Wilkinson (on behalf of BHPAB) - Downtown Bozeman Improvement PlanFrom: Agenda
To: Agenda
Subject: BHPAB Comment: Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan Annotated Framework 1-8-2019
Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2019 9:38:25 AM
From: Jeanne Wilkinson <jmwilkinson4@msn.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2019 4:35 PM
To: bozeman@agencylp.com; Chris Naumann <chris@downtownbozeman.org>
Cc: Crystal Alegria <crystal.alegria@gmail.com>; Jennifer Dunn <jennifer.a.dunn@gmail.com>; Eric
Karshner <ekarshner@hotmail.com>; michaelwallner@u.boisestate.edu; Chelsea Holling
<chelseaholling@ctagroup.com>; Phillipe Gonzalez <PGonzalez@BOZEMAN.NET>;
jkrauss@bozeman.net
Subject: BHPAB Comment: Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan Annotated Framework 1-8-2019
Dear Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan Update Consultants and Task Force:
As members of the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board (BHAB) we were
encouraged to see additional references to Bozeman’s history and historic character in the
latest draft of the Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan Annotated Framework 1-8-2019.
Our historic downtown is unique and worth preserving.
Thank you for adding a section on the history of Bozeman’s Downtown, and the history of this
place prior to Euro-American settlement in 1864. It is important to note that many tribal
nations used this land for thousands of years before the town of Bozeman was established. It
would be important to also mention the Crow Nation in the historical overview, as this area
was their homeland as well. Would it be possible for you to find another quote for the
historical section on page 20? We don’t know if “swallowing up all the tenderfeet . . . with
their golden fleeces to be taken care of” is the image the City would like to portray.
On page 108 the draft states, “Going forward, the Downtown study area should be removed
from the NCOD boundary and continue to be regulated by the DBIP, similar to the path that is
proposed for Midtown. This will allow the NCOD to continue to guide residential areas, while
Downtown is guided by the DBIP.” We strongly disagree with the statement. The most
historic aspect of Bozeman is our Downtown, this is the area that should never, under no
circumstances leave the protections of the NCOD, especially to be “regulated” by an entity
other than the City of Bozeman. The Main Street Historic District is our most significant
National Register district. The surrounding B-3 zoned area should be guided by a document
that is even more specific than current NCOD guidelines to provide historic and neighborhood
preservation.
The City of Bozeman is in the process of updating our historic inventory of buildings. The
draft mentions the partial 2016 historic inventory. With the full historic inventory update,
hopefully in the next year or two, many more historically significant and contributing
buildings within the Downtown area will need to be considered. The updated historic
inventories will guide decision making in relation to these historic properties and this should
be considered with this plan.
We again encourage you to state implicitly that the historic qualities of Downtown Bozeman,
and its surrounding neighborhoods, - cultural vitality, walkable streets, distinct blocks of
architectural diversity and flexible adaptable buildings - have catapulted the area to be the
economic development engine of the state. Downtown and the core neighborhoods are a place
where development has occurred incrementally, over many decades, resulting in a texture,
richness, and distinctiveness that we call character. Historic heritage and character are the
most important traits of this area. Without them, downtown would be another anywhere USA.
If you would like to discuss this or have questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of the
board members.
Thank you,
Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board
Jennifer Dunn, Chair
Jeanne Wilkinson, Vice- Chair
Crystal Alegria, Member
Michael Wallner, Member
Eric Kushner, Member
Chelsea Holling , Member