03/15/00 Root to Racicot/Proposed MoratoriumCOPY
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March 15, 2000'
The Honorable Marc Racicot
Governor of Montana
P.O. Box 200801
Helena, Montana 59620-0801
Our company, Hampstead Partners, during the last year was part of the team which successfully
purchased and is now in the process oi'dev'eloping seven multifamily apartment communities in
western Montana. Denoted as the ``Montana Preservation Project," the success was due to a great
effort by many people at the federal, state and local levels working together.
The properties are being substantially rehabilitated using a variety of financing mechanisms
including an allocation of tax credits and volume cap bonds through the Montana Board of
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Housing, Federal Home Loan Bank funds, 'local funds, and other federal subsidies. The
properties will be preserved for at Least 40 years as affordable housing for families and the
elderly.
Over the course of the last year and a half, in our many travels to Montana in furtherance of the
preservation effort, my partners and T have not only come to appreciate and enjoy the many fine
People we have metin. Montana, bi-t have also come to the conclusion that Montana is one of the
most beautillu-l- places we have ever been, and is xhere we look forward to bringing our families
in the future to visit many times.
Along the way, we'have been made. aware of other community development needs which we
may possibly be able to help meet. One such need is. for the development of a
business/technology park on the northern limits of the City of Kalispell.
Through our many conversations with state and local officials as well as our own research, we
have determined that a business technology park of approx-1-111alely 60 acres with 30 to 40 users
could serve a valuable social and economic purpose in the. Flathead Valley area and Montana
generally.
We have identified what we believe to be a premiere location for the proposed park along
Highway 93 on aportion of Section 36 of state land Just north of the City of Kalispell.
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We have had a number of preliminary discussions with representatives from the Department of
'Natural Resources and Conservation to preliminarily assess and understand the competitive,
administrative and legal process associated with the objective of receiving a long-term lease on a
portion of the state land.
There are numerous reasons why we believe tuck a.park would be successful, one of the most
important of which would be the creation of several hundred well paying jobs. These 'Would be
the kind of jobs which could keep young educated Montanans in Montana and bring other skilled
folks to Montana. The park could be a catalyst for the creation of such higher paying technology
oriented jobs as the Flatheava Valley specifically and the state of Montana generally search for
new and better ways to build a different stronger, and enduring economic development base for
the future.
The proposed park would be consistent with the neighborhood plan adopted for Section 36 and
would be consistent with the DNIRC mandate to seek the highest development of state 'owned
lands in order that, they might be placed to their highest and best use and derive greater revenue
for the educational system in Montana. The proposed park would also be built,iri accordance
with all city and county zoning and building requirements.
We, have formed an alliance with a local high tech company to joint venture the development of
the park. This growing organization has been offered significant incentives to relocate outside
.the state. The president of the Company* is a local Montanan who would like to see the
development of this park come into existence so the company can grow in Montana. thereby
supporting the local and state economies.
Notwithstanding that there is a competitive process we would -have to undergo to pursue this
development on state land, we would ae the opportunity to present a proposal to the state fori an
environmentally clean business/technology park which we- believe could be a cornerstone for a
high tech economic base in the, Flathead Valley.
In light of what we believe would be the significant long-term benefits. of a development of this
type to the educational system in Montana and to the local and state economies, we would
respectfully request that serious reflection be given to the impact which a moratorium on the
development of ptate lands would have.
Respectfully yours,
HM? P I RS
'Norm Root
Principal
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