The 3-2 vote against the first proposed development to take advantage of “deep incentives” for affordable housing came in around midnight after several hours of public comment.
The development was proposed by HomeBase Partners, which has developed 15 properties in the Bozeman area including the Element hotel and Black Olive urban apartments.
The deep incentives are a part of the affordable housing ordinance, adopted locally in the fall of 2022, which allowed some deviations from the municipal code in cases where 50% or more of the units would be affordable housing.
One incentive being no parking space requirements. Many nearby residents spoke of parking concerns as well as the five story building changing the character of the neighborhood near 7th and Main st.
A report by city staff found that the proposed development met all the criteria to move forward, and the development was set for administrative review. However after hearing from many concerned residents the commission voted in April to reclaim their review authority and make the final decision.
A majority of the commission found discrepancies between the proposal and the subjective criteria in the growth plan including Commission Jennifer Madgic who made the motion to deny the proposal saying. “I don’t have a problem with the basic intent behind what this development is trying to do. The thing that I have the most issue with is the location, where it is, and then also issues within the site plan.”
Commissioner Emma Bode and Mayor Terry Cunningham voted in favor of the proposal and said, “I would encourage us not to back down from core principles of trading some density for affordability, because it's one of the few things we have.”
Mayor Cunningham also acknowledged this development process highlighted that the affordable housing ordinance could use modification to be more effective in the future.
