HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-01-21 Public Comment - C. Costakis - The IvesFrom:Cathy Costakis
To:Agenda
Subject:Application 21165 "The Ives"
Date:Friday, October 1, 2021 5:05:26 PM
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Dear Mayor Andrus, Deputy Mayor Cunningham and Commissioners Madgic, Coburn, and
Pomeroy,
My name is Cathy Costakis and I live at 140 Village Crossing Way, Bozeman. I am a memberof the Bozeman City Planning Board but I am not speaking on behalf of the Planning Board
with my public comments.
I would like to comment on application 21165 "The Ives". I know that Homebase knows ourcode inside and out and has most likely followed all the rules. The question then appears to
be...are the rules in line with our Community Plan and the well-being of the surroundingneighborhood? Does this very large building fit the neighborhood and make proper transitions
to not overwhelm its neighbors? My opinion is that it does not.
We need to rethink the transitions to the neighborhoods. Is this really an adequate transitionfor such a large building? There is a step-back where it is required but is it really adequate for
the mass and scale of this structure? And isn't it odd to have it step back only part of thebuilding (the part that is required)? I attended the several public input sessions that this
developer held prior to coming up with this design. A big theme from the public was"permeability". Where is that permeability with this structure? We need to do better. Our
whole downtown is being reshaped by one developer who builds building after building thatlooks the same. Do we really want that for our community?
I know it is very hard to deny someone who follows the rules. I also know that our downtown
core is quite small for a growing community and we need density. But I hope we take a look atour rules and perhaps explore a form-based code?
Thank you for being very thoughtful in your consideration of this building and please, ifpossible, request a redesign to make it more palatable for the neighbors.
Thank you,Cathy Costakis