First on Decatur Metro…

Commissioner Fred Boykin sent this message to the neighborhood listservs last night…

The Decatur Court developers have asked for “an indefinite deferral” of their project and are asking the Development Authority and Planning Commission “to convene a series of open meetings at which the project can be discussed and alternatives for addressing concerns can be considered.”

Thanks to Cherie for forwarding. See a message from Duane Truex in response after the jump…

No commentary from me for now. Just want to get it out there first.

Fred,
Thanks for the posting. Many of us had heard of the change/decision. We are considering the meaning of it all. In fact we have a steering committee meeting tomorrow. Our wish it to have a well-considered and systemically focussed set of plans that take into account the whole issue of R60 C2 zoning, parking in its many forms and the design criteria for an evolving Decatur.
We are NOT anti growth, we live in mixed use development and always have in this neighborhood around the 315 project (Ponce place, Montgomery, Fairview etc, etc…). It *is* our backyard so we want growth to be sensible, properly scaled, proper quality and to the benefit of all…as well as something that honors Decatur’s past and future. Yes we are idealists. But we are willing to work with the city and developers on a proper project.
For the record we reached out on several occasions to Hudson Hooks and company. We drank together and talked and attempted to sit down in a small setting to discuss the project. My guess is that the developers were of the opinion (somehow) that it was so ‘in the bag’ they did not need to listen. Moreover they may have underestimated both the skill set extant in these neighborhoods. We are parents, tradesmen and women, artisans and professionals–engineers, architects or various flavors, scientists, producers of content, lawyers and others who can research, reason, design, problem solve, and if needed, resist.
I reiterate: we want a viable, properly scaled and growing Decatur. And we as a community will put time, energy and material into a process to help make this so. We look forward to further positive engagement in addressing the many questions and issues that surfaced in the discussions over the 315 Ponce development.
To be candid the process needs to be different than the one Lynne started and that went awry quite quickly. The City Planning Dept’s idea was a good one. The execution was however, in my view, flawed. It felt like to many of us that it was a closing out vs opening up process. There were attempts to tightly control the discourse and the way information was shared. And there was resentment that when people learned of the evolving plans that they wanted to be able to participate, listen at least if not have a voice. But the feeling was that only a very narrowly focussed group would be allowed to participate AND that the participation allowed was akin to an arranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic vs having any real and meaningful input.
Case in point: 220 units was NEVER negotiable. Period. Yet that is a huge sticking point for many. The whole density computation and allowance is a point that needs addressing forthrightly and with some speed. That is a conversation I believe needing to occur in the open and with clarity. We can all read the code, and do read the code, and lots of related material so we can have a reasonable and informed discussion. The community needs to be treated as if it can so engage.
Enough of my two cents worth. Again, thanks for the posting. I look forward to further conversations about these very important issues.
Duane Truex