HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-28-25 Public Comment - E. Darrow - Public Comment about Consent Item F6-& Historic Preservation Advisory BoardFrom:Elizabeth Darrow
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment about Consent Item F6-& Historic Preservation Advisory Board
Date:Tuesday, October 28, 2025 12:04:11 PM
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Elizabeth Darrow
Public Comment – Consent Item F.6 Reject or Postpone this actionSubject: Proposed Contract with The Lakota Group for Bozeman Neighborhood
Conservation Overlay District Guidelines Update
Dear Mayor and Commissioners,
I am writing to express my sincere concern regarding Consent Item F.6 on agenda—theproposed contract to hire The Lakota Group of Chicago, IL, to provide professional servicesfor the update of Bozeman’s Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District guidelines.
The Lakota Group does not demonstrate extensive professional credentials in historicpreservation, beyond experience conducting surveys and inventories. Only one member of
their team appears to hold an architectural degree. For a project so critical to thepreservation of Bozeman’s historic neighborhoods, the City should engage professionalswith specialized training and credentials in historic preservation planning, preservationarchitecture, or related disciplines.
The contract itself is also deeply troubling rife with "permissive language," ambiguous,interpretative, and vague that lacks any pretense of enforcement possibilities or even topromote standards not just "guidelines"
· Example 1: "...evolving community character": is vague and can be used tojustify weakening preservation standards, particularly in areas where character has
already been altered.
· Example 2 " Ensure the guidelines align with the Secretary of the Interior’sStandards while addressing local conditions and priorities." can be used as a
loophole to circumvent or override the established, nationally recognized Secretaryof the Interior’s Guidelines are NOT Standards, especially when the communityplan does not explicitly protect historic resources.
It is deeply troubling in the broader context of public frustration over the City’s ongoingdisregard for the integrity of its historic districts, the disproportionate access granted todevelopers, and the limited communication and consultation with the Historic Preservation
Advisory Board (HPAB). That only the Historic Preservation Officer and one HPAB memberparticipated in the interview and decision-making process for this selection, I ask what isthe purpose of having a citizen advisory board if its expertise and input are not fully utilizedin matters so clearly within its purview and purpose?
I respectfully urge the Commission to reject or postpone approval of this contract until amore qualified preservation-focused firm can be engaged and inclusive participation of the
FULL Historic Preservation Advisory Board.
Thank you for your consideration.