HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-27-24 Public Comment - C. Stillwell - Guthrie 24493From:Christy Stillwell
To:Jennifer Madgic; Douglas Fischer; Joey Morrison; Emma Bode; Terry Cunningham; Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Guthrie 24493
Date:Friday, December 20, 2024 12:33:57 PM
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I'm writing in response to the Guthrie, application 24493. I'd like to point out
misrepresentations in the application.
In section 32, pages 5-6, the application cites this from the NCOD design
guidelines, Chapter 3 :
Building Mass and Scale Policy: The mass and scale of a building is also an important designissue in a residential character area. The traditional scale of single household housesdominates the neighborhood, and this similarity of scale also enhances the pedestrian-friendlycharacter of many streets. Similarities in scale among prominent building features, such asporches and fences, are also important. In many cases, earlier buildings were smaller thancurrent tastes support; nonetheless, a new building should, to the greatest extent possible,maintain this established scale. While new buildings and additions are anticipated that may belarger than many of the earlier structures, this new construction should not be so dramaticallygreater in scale than the established context that the visual continuity of the neighborhoodwould be compromised.
HomeBase addresses this section with the following response:
The subject property is in a transitional location that includes both residential and
commercial properties. There is a single-family home to the north, a 3-story church to
the east, a 3 story multi-family building to the south, and a 31-room motel to the west
that is zoned B-2M and will eventually become 4-5 stories in height as a part of the
Midtown Urban Renewal District.
These are false statements.
1. The church to the east is not three stories. It is one story with a tall spire.
2. The fourplex to the south is not 3 stories, it is two.
3. Most importantly: the motel to the west is the Sapphire Motel, owned by Shiloh and
Jacob Klatt. In phone call on Dec. 19, 2024, Shiloh Klatt indicated "We have no plans to
build anything at the motel, so whatever Halloran has claimed in that regard is false."
As stated at the 12/17/24 public hearing: even one falsehood in the application brings
into question the veracity of the whole thing.
The creative liberties in the HomeBase application indicate the developer knows this building is
not appropriate to the neighborhood. Even in its newest iteration, it does not meet the NCOD
design guidelines. This kind of misrepresentation feels insulting to the neighborhood, as if the
HomeBase team has not actually been there. That, or they are so confident of internal staffapproval they simply write whatever they want. This is classic real estate investment company
behavior, the sort of thing that breeds resentment and disgust in long city residents.
Out of fairness to the public, and to achieve continuity with this situation, I urge commissionersto once again reclaim authority over this application. It's not fair that this sloppy application
might be approved without a public hearing. Please use your authority as elected officials to putlimits on this kind of exploitation. Enforce the code already in place.
I appreciate your time and care on this application and I want to thank you for all your hard work
this year. You've got a challenging job and I appreciate your continued attention to this matter. Christy Stillwell
Sec 38.340.050 Standards for Certificates of AppropriatenessSec
38.340.050 Standards for Certificates of Appropriateness
-- Christy Stillwell, author of The Wolf Tone, a novel of classical music and medical marijuana set in Montana.