Opinion ID: 1830396
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: [¶ 2.] In the spring of 1998, B.Y. Development, Inc. proposed a plan for a hotel-gaming project on the 300 block of Main Street in Deadwood. Located near the edge of town, the project area lies within the Deadwood National Historic Landmark District, but outside the Downtown Historic District. The area was zoned commercial in 1990. Among the properties currently in the general vicinity are an apartment building, a gas station-convenience store, several hotels, a restaurant, an insurance agency, and a rodeo grandstand and arena. The project required demolition of a 1950s era motel and certain residences, and the relocation of other buildings. [¶ 3.] B.Y. applied to the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission for permits to demolish the buildings in April and May of 1998. No plans for the project following the demolition were submitted at that time, so the application was tabled until the plans were presented. Four preliminary concept designs were submitted to the Commission on May 18, 1998. The City of Deadwood reviewed these designs and suggested changes. In the next several weeks, B.Y. submitted further preliminary concept designs that reflected the comments made by the City and the Commission. On June 5, 1998, the City submitted the preliminary concept design to the State Department of Education and Cultural Affairs, Office of History, for review and comment pursuant to SDCL 1-19A-11.1. B.Y. submitted color drawings of the project and preliminary floor plans, a site plan, and elevations to the City to review on June 7. The City suggested changes, which B.Y. incorporated into the plans, and on June 18, B.Y. submitted updated plans. On June 24, the Commission reviewed these revised project plans. B.Y supplied a computerized drawing of the completed project, after which the Commission approved the project design and sent its approval to the Office of History with an abbreviated case report. [¶ 4.] After reviewing the project plans, the Office of History issued a Determination of Adverse Effect. The Commission reviewed this, but reaffirmed its approval. Several days later the Office of History met with the City and B.Y. to discuss design alternatives. No consensus for an acceptable design was reached at this meeting. B.Y., however, incorporated some suggestions made by the Office of History and revised the project, reducing the building height from 58 feet to 45 feet, increasing the length of the building from 250 feet to 296 feet, decreasing the number of rooms from 90 to 80, adding landscaping to improve the appearance of the facade, and simplifying the design. Before the Commission met to review and vote on the revised plan on August 12, 1998, Christopher Hetzel, the Deadwood Historic Preservation Officer, spoke with the Office of History about the revised plan. The Office informed him that this plan too would not be approved and Hetzel duly reported that decision to the Commission. Nonetheless, formal notice of the revised plan was not sent to Office of History as it now insists is required under SDCL 1-19A-11.1. The Commission approved the revised plan and entered its written determination and case report detailing the factors and alternatives it considered in making its decision. [¶ 5.] The Office of History appealed the matter to the circuit court. At the hearing, B.Y. sought to admit affidavits that had not been presented to the Commission. Over the Office of History's objection, the court admitted a portion of the affidavits. Thereafter, the court affirmed the decision of the Commission. The Office of History now appeals to this Court contending that (1) the circuit court erred by improperly admitting evidence outside the administrative record; (2) the Commission erred by issuing its final decision before the Office of History was provided with and afforded an opportunity to review final project plans; (3) the Commission erred by failing to address each feasible and prudent alternative to the proposal; and (4) the Commission erred by failing to include concise and explicit fact statements to support its findings.