Heather,
First of all, I think you're mixing apples and oranges. Right now, the city is
concerned about the new development at Snelling-Selby. Ayd Mill Road is a
separate issue, at least in their opinion.
As soon as I saw the news article announcing that Whole Foods was moving to the
Snelling-Selby development, it was clear the entire development was a fait
accompli as far as the powers in the city are concerned.
You and others can protest all you want, but it will be to no avail -- unless
you come up with a unique strategy and get truly massive citizen support.
NIMBY just own't cut it as a strategy, for two main reasons: 1) They hear this
all the time, and as I said earlier, they equate it with the notion that people
don't want change of any kind -- no matter what it might be. and 2) Whether
you believe it or not, it is a very desirable commercial development since it
requires no variance, and it will certainly substantially increase the tax
revenue for this parcel.
If you want to fight this, you need to organize and find a political operative
who is wise in the ways of city politics, who agrees with your cause, and who
can devise a winning strategy. Otherwise, you will expend a lot of time and
energy, and the project will proceed exactly the way it has been planned.
So personally, I don't think there is any way you can stop the project. BUT, if
you play it smart, you might be able to get the city to resolve the the Ayd
Mill issue (which has festered for years) in exchange for neighborhood approval
of the Snelling/Selby project.
Finally, three other points:
1) It never hurts to corral a lawyer for your cause who can threaten law suits
on any number of steps in the process. The city hates that …………… : )
2) I'm ambivalent about petitions; I don't think the city pays much attention,
but the newspapers and TV stations love this kind of thing, especially if you
can gather a significant number of signatures. And again, the city hates
negative press, especially in an election year (Mayor, Ward 1 Council seat).
But doing a petition, at least doing it right, is a lot of work.
3) I would smother the leading candidates for Ward 1 Council Member with
information and pleas for their support. Noel Nix and Dao Thao seem to be
leading the pack. You know about the Union Park District Council, but Summit
Hill and Mac-Groveland are players when it comes to Ayd Mill Road.
Rest of post
On Aug 2, 2013, at 10:16 PM, Heather Negaard wrote:
HI Jan,
Of course it is what you refer to as a NIMBY situation and I will proudly
state it. I live here. I
frequent the many stores that are on Selby, as well as Grand. Of course,
those who are just using Selby/Ayd as a highway thoroughfare to get to
their homes in the burbs are not. They are not helping revitalize our
neighborhood. Wasn¹t there a proposal to move the Ayd connection a bit
east?
This is our neighborhood. Lets keep that intersection free from people
using
it to get to their homes in the suburbs.
I have an interest in our quality of life, noise pollution and air
pollution impact, as well as the
development of the neighborhood.
(I would like to see the study of the noise impact and and air quality at
that intersection-does anyone have a link?)
Would it benefit from more revitalization, sure. But is there any
consideration to the people who live here? WE are
the ones making it a neighborhood. WE are the customers who eat at the
diner and stop at Patina for gifts after grabbing a coffee from across the
street.
I am not opposed to any type of revitalization-it fact, I am glad that it
is being done. BUT, again, when you add businesses, there is a need to
also look at infrastructure and how best to support the added businesses
as well as the residents.
Take a look at Ayd while you are driving down it one day. It is
embarrassing. Garbage everywhere, a makeshift left turn lane to get to a
business on the north end that its entrance was cut off of. That made me
face palm. Fences falling down with trees growing though it. When I drive
down this road, It does not say "vibrant" to me.
"and there are just too many citizens among us who fight every change, no
matter what it might be." ~ Jan Carr
To address quote-I am not fighting change, as you may think. I welcome it,
with the caveat that the infrastructure is planned and executed well,
instead of a haphazard band-aid that is our beloved Ayd Mill Road that has
been swept under the rug yet again.
I ask you Jan, what would your vision be for this area if you had all the
money and power in the world to do whatever you wanted?
Best,
Heather