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Home My WebLink About10-13-21 Public Comment - S. Hedglin - Seat at the Table Housing ReportFrom:scott@arch118.com To:"Randy Carpenter"; Martin Matsen Cc:"Bridget Wilkinson"; Taylor Chambers; Agenda Subject:RE: Housing Report Date:Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:08:53 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Randy- I very much appreciate the invitation. I am going to pass. Apologies in advance for being blunt. Until the City Commission sets priorities (not individual agendas) and gets serious about them (including staff accountability), I feel like folks are just spinning in circles and I don’t want to spend my time doing that. In my opinion, the Commission reacts too much to NIMBYism and when I read the latest City goals document (I don’t remember exactly, but maybe 6 months ago), I remember seeing conflicting goals. That is, I could argue one goal (e.g. increasing property values) against another (e.g. affordable housing)…whichever NIMBY is loudest on their position usually sways the Commission. To say it again…if folks can’t easily memorize and rattle off their priorities in 10 seconds or less, then they are not priorities. Sure, they are goals, and they are complicated, but if the City is sincerely concerned about housing, they need to de-prioritize other issues. Priorities and goals are not the same thing. Call it a cop-out if you’d like. I’ve spent 18 years (Design Review Committee, Midtown Board/Chair, Business Owner) helping to make Bozeman a wonderful place for my family, and I’m out-o-gas. I copied City Agenda on this message. I speak as a business owner located in Bozeman…we moved beyond City limits last year because I grew tired of paying taxes and watching the wheels spin. Scott From: Randy Carpenter <randy@future-west.org> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2021 9:23 AM To: Martin Matsen <MMatsen@bozeman.net> Cc: scott@arch118.com; Bridget Wilkinson <bridget@onevalley.org>; Taylor Chambers <tchambers@bozeman.net> Subject: Re: Housing Report Marty and Scott - Future west is hosting a Seat at the Table discussion next week. Exact day/time not yet determined. Would you be interested in joining us? On Mon, Oct 11, 2021 at 8:56 PM Martin Matsen <MMatsen@bozeman.net> wrote: Thanks for this Scott. Absolutely no disrespect was taken. I have been doing this a long time in a lot of places and realize we have a complicated code that has been tweaked over and over - but there is no denying it has helped built a beautiful (& now expensive) small city. Opinions are all over the place and peoples experiences are as well. I had a Chicago developer in my office last Wednesday who said this was the best process he has ever been through. J That said, I know we can do better and I am totally open to listen and learn from your experiences should you want to sit down some time. For better or worse I am probably one of the few people in Bozeman that gets to hear the frustration from both sides. There hasn’t been a project yet where the developer thought the process wasn’t too arduous and long and where the neighbors weren’t mad that it got approved too fast and without enough public notice/input. It’s the times we live in and we do our best but in a fast growing place there is no way the code and/or city processes can make everyone happy. Again, happy to chat sometime should you have ideas that could have an impact on what you guys are needing to charge. Email Taylor in my office (copied) and she can find a time. Best - Marty From: scott@arch118.com <scott@arch118.com> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2021 7:51 AM To: randy@future-west.org; 'Bridget Wilkinson' <bridget@onevalley.org> Cc: Martin Matsen <MMatsen@BOZEMAN.NET> Subject: Housing Report CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Bridget / Randy- I read the Housing Report over the weekend. Lots-o-data, not sure I’ll retain it all, but in general agree with your positions. To add to the data: We did a project for the City a couple years ago. We specifically EXCLUDED any and all City approval process tasks from our fee because of the unknowns and pain-in-ass factor. We are currently trying to get a modestly-priced work-live project thru the City. City “process” (I call it a land-grab, but the City doesn’t like that term!) has resulted in 23 housing units rather than 25 (8% reduction…which puts the project on the edge of being financially viable). Result will be cost of units will need to be increased AND fewer units will be available (double impact). On this project, we have about 15% of the Architectural fee dedicated to City process (and that does NOT include the Civil engineering fee, which will be even more involved in the City approval process). Talking points: 1) City regulatory process is very much a factor in the cost and time-efficiency of getting projects done. 2) In my opinion, the City process is NOT focused on trying to solve the high cost of housing (engineering department was allowed to prioritize vehicular movement over housing). I’ll say it again…if folks can’t easily memorize and rattle off their priorities in 10 seconds or less, then they are not priorities. Sure, they are goals, and they are complicated, but if the City is sincerely concerned about housing, they need to de-prioritize other issues. Priorities and goals are not the same thing. Good luck with the presentation tomorrow. Give me a call if you’d like to chat. PS…I looped Marty in…not to bitch and moan, but to brutally confront the issue(s). No disrespect intended, but rather to be blunt and hopefully helpful as solutions are being developed. Scott Hedglin | AIA, NCARB, LEEDAP | architecture118 | 406-404-1777 | 115 East Oak Street, Bozeman, MT 59715 City of Bozeman emails are subject to the Right to Know provisions of Montana’s Constitution (Art. II, Sect. 9) and may be considered a “public record” pursuant to Title 2, Chpt. 6, Montana Code Annotated. As such, this email, its sender and receiver, and the contents may be available for public disclosure and will be retained pursuant to the City’s record retention policies. Emails that contain confidential information such as information related to individual privacy may be protected from disclosure under law. -- Randy Carpenter Future West 321 E Main St, Suite 322 PO Box 1253 Bozeman, MT 59771 406-582-8937