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The city government owes at least as much respect to its residents as it gives to favored causes and special
interests.
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Article published Apr 27, 2006
City fails residents on project
Gabe Lowe
At the intersection of Taft Hill Road and Harmony Road, there is a vacant plot of land of about 4.5 acres.
In the fall of 2005, representatives of Habitat for Humanity met with the city Planning & Zoning Board to seek
approval to build a multi -family "affordable housing" project on about 3 acres of that land as an initial step in full
development of the plot. The other 1.5 acres would be developed later for additional housing or a 20,000-
square-foot commercial center.
In a sharp departure from Habitat's customary practice, the plan presented to the board called for construction
of five two-story buildings that would house a total of 27 families. These five buildings would be placed
immediately adjacent to a neighborhood of single-family homes valued in the range of $300,000 to $400,000.
Not only was the proposed project completely incompatible with its neighbors, it also called for construction of
two buildings that would infringe on the Taft Hill Road right-of-way and would create traffic problems and
consequent safety hazards at the intersection because of the proximity of its entrance to the safety island in the
intersection.
Further, the proponents of the project falsely asserted that it would be close to medical facilities, family shopping
and public bus service, none of which is within approximately 1.5 miles; that there was no other affordable
housing in the vicinity; and that the 27 occupant families would put no more than seven new pupils in nearby
schools.
Residents of the neighborhood whose lives and property would be most directly affected presented arguments
to the P&Z Board in opposition to the project, but the board gave them short shrift. Despite the misleading
arguments of the proponents, despite the proposed variance from established regulations and disregarding the
appeals of the neighbors, the P&Z board approved the project.
When the plan was presented before the City Council early this year, nearby residents who would be adversely
affected presented arguments against it, but as the hearing progressed, it became clear that the project had the
full support of the (city) "staff."
In point of fact, the entire process - Planning & Zoning Board hearing, City Council hearing - was merely a
charade to make a public pretense of correctness on an issue that had long since been settled. For in a
document published by Community Planning and Environmental Services on June 7, 2005, the city had
allocated $51,000 of taxpayers' money to Habitat for Humanity to be used for land acquisition.
By their own admission in the hearing, not one member of the City Council had ever bothered to look at the
property or the neighborhood in order to inform themselves on a decision that would have a profound effect on
hundreds of nearby homes. But that did not disturb their peace of mind, which apparently places their faith in the
belief that the good of the few outweighs the good of the many - when their own personal interests are not
affected.
In the end, unsurprisingly, the script was followed. The council voted 6-1 for the project, the one dissent cast by
a member who said it was cast in sympathy for the neighbors whose lives would be affected. Even the council
member in whose district the project will be placed, and who supposedly should have some interest in the
concerns of his constituents, voted for it.
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