Comments on: Committee To Mediate 315 W. Ponce Discussions

By: fifi

fifi — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:42:13 +0000

No surprise that neither side possessed the necessary flexibility. This whole “process” (as DDA likes to call it ) seems flawed. Stands to reason that discussions between only the developers and residents living closest to the proposed project will end up heated and unproductive . Neither group is likely to have a particularly balanced perspective . It becomes hunger for profit and property owners’ rights vs NIMBY…..definitely a circus …

After the Hillyer project fiasco a couple of years ago, there was much talk about the need for a committee to study the general issues related to development of C2 next to R60 but no one -not the Commissioners, not the DDA, not citizens – took timely action. (The City did deal with infill housing and worked on a tree ordinance — I guess those things pushed NIMBY buttons for more people )

If some City codes and ordinances are outdated then now is the time
( now is PAST the time ) to convene a committee of residents, City officals and independent experts to make the appropriate changes. Over zealous developers and NIMBY neighbors will still be a part of the equation but Decatur will have a better framework in place to deal with them .

By: Decatur Metro

Decatur Metro — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:02:00 +0000

Thanks Carl...guess I should wait for the summary/minutes next time. Though I'm curious why it wasn't discussed or whether it will be brought up again. Guess I should attend the meetings next time if I'm so darn interested. Jim, for what its worth, in a previous meeting, 87 signatures were collected in opposition to the mulch path, according to this InDecatur post. Squeaky wheel and all...

By: David

David — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:58:15 +0000

I think the neighborhood should find out immediately who is on the committee and start buying them rounds at the Brick Store.

I don’t think the city is in bed with the developer, just playing footsie under the table. Shoes on of course.

Frankly I think the dev is happy not to have to start this right now. Too much uncertainty in the financial realm. Too many housing units available and too much unleased commercial property. Not to mention the way financing is at the moment they are probably going to have to use a lot of their own money. Something no dev really wants to do. Oh, and no juicy tax breaks either.

On the flip side they’ll probably say that downturn means they positively have to have more units to break even.

So hey I say sell it.

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:58:10 +0000

I did not attend last night, but my understanding is that this item was completely removed from the meeting agenda and was not discussed.

By: Decatur Metro

Decatur Metro — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:49:14 +0000

Yeah, I interpret the idea of a committee more of a concession to the neighborhood, since up until this point the city was operating as the moderator but was accused more than once by the neighborhood of being in bed with the developer.