by Jim Haynes, Hamilton
“They don’t listen!” was an unsolicited comment made to me by one of the other four citizens who attended the 01/30/23 public meeting of the Hamilton Zoning Code Update Working Group. “They” refers to the 21 members of this Working Group. The ostensible goal of this Working Group is to amend and re-write Hamilton’s Zoning Code to address ‘infill’ and ‘the missing middle’ – whatever those undefined terms mean – and to implement their ENVISION vision for Hamilton’s comprehensively planned future growth.
The website at ‘Hamilton, MT Zoning Code Update details their vision.
I had attended the 01/30/23 after reading an alarming, berating, anti-public participation remark made by a Working Group (and City Council) member, as reported in the 11/22/22 Bitterroot Star:
“If you weren’t involved in the [Envision Hamilton comprehensive plan process] you missed a really good opportunity to have a voice… If you didn’t bother to come to the meetings when we sat down and struggled over how we are going to plan, then you really need to stop waving your finger at those involved.” The ‘finger waving citizens’ opposed a re-zone request to “infill” a high density apartment complex into a residential neighborhood. (The City Council later denied this request). Refreshingly honest, perhaps, to hear an elected official state aloud his anti-participation prejudices. Yet doubly alarming no other involved public official or Working Group member denounced, renounced or publicly condemned those unlawful remarks.
Many Montanans learn of their fundamental constitutional right to participate (Article II, §8) and right to know (Art. II, §9) at least by high school. These rights derive directly from Montana’s past history of insider, back-room deal making and secrecy in state and local government affairs. Elected officials???
The minutes of the 11/30/22 Zoning Update Kickoff public meeting promise to “clearly communicate to the public, engage the public early and often including going out to a variety of venues and groups…”and to implement a ‘public outreach strategy’.” No such things have been implemented so far, except broken promises. I met with the City Staff Planner on 04/27/23 and asked “why?” “Too busy,” “not a website designer;” “it’s like elevators and AI (artificial intelligence)”… which people will get used. Very clumsy non-responses.
So I attended the 06/06/23 Hamilton City Council meeting to further evaluate their listening abilities. No other public member rose to speak. The Mayor allotted me three minutes to explain what you have (hopefully) just read. Then he cut me off. I continued by passing out a copy of Montana’s law requiring implementation of a 20-point public participation process. For the past six months the zoning code update Working Group has operated under their broken promises of public engagement. They have started out on the wrong foot. And what starts on the wrong foot…