Weigh In On New Open City Hall Topics
Decatur Metro | February 3, 2009Catherine reports that there are two new questions posted on the city’s “Open City Hall” webpage.
The first question sounds like its in anticipation of updating the city’s strategic plan for 2010:
Should the City continue it’s Smart Growth strategy in downtown Decatur?
The second sounds like its looking for affirmation on a big part of the city’s existing Community Transportation Plan:
Should major intersections be rebuilt to promote bicycle and pedestrian uses, even if motorists are inconvenienced?
For those new to this feedback system, answers are ultimately compiled and presented to the city commission for consideration.
Oh, by the way – yes and yes.
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I like the Open City Hall idea, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. Looking at the Smart Growth part (which to my mind has been good for the city to this point), there’s almost no information on what’s actually come of it so far. You can learn a bit more here:
http://decaturga.com/cgs_citysvcs_ced_devupdates.aspx
There, we learn that since 2000 the city has seen 68 new townhouses, 564 new condos, and 101 new apartments, and traffic overall has lightened. It would also be vital to know what the fiscal impact on the city and school budgets has been. How are we supposed to weigh in without the most basic data?
Interesting point Judd.
I would guess that the city doesn’t post facts like that because it doesn’t want the question to influence opinion. Showing a list smart growth successes would certainly do that.
And now that I think about it, I’d say its pretty impressive the lengths the city goes to remove itself from influencing public opinion. The city certainly has a lot of brag about when it comes to the successes of the smart growth strategy, but still stays quiet and simply poses the question so the populous can have their say.
Compare that to the pure propaganda “newspaper” the city published back in the 60s when it wanted residents to approve bonds to finance a portion of the new high school and I’d say its pretty amazing how far they’ve come.
Judd, I don’t disagree with your call for diligence but I’d caution against considering the question solely in a quantitative light. The larger implications of the city’s smart growth strategies have been qualitative in nature.
For example, it’s true that downtown traffic has lightened a bit but how does that measurement really translate? What if it had gone up? There are many terrific places in the U.S. where the traffic rates a Level of Service grade F, yet property values rate among the highest anywhere and perception of the place as a good place for people is without dispute.
Because of the city’s approach over the past couple decades, we have a renewed downtown experience at our disposal which, for many (myself included), might include the prospect of a totally aimless walk. That, or many other little things made possible through our larger growth strategies, make serious contributions towards quality of life, but not in any way that’s reflected in the data.
In the same way, I suppose, there are folks in Decatur who simply don’t like a midlevel intensity of urbanism. End of story. So, the data could be universally positive in terms of what can be measured but, hey, people like what they like.
If you enjoy downtown, if you feel better about walking or biking around than you did ten years ago, if you like being known by name by our many retailers and having increasing choices in what you can get done here in town, then I say support continuation of our current growth strategies.
Scott, have you posted what you wrote here on the Open City Hall forum? Sounds like exactly what needs to be said there.
At the risk of sounding fawning, Scott….I always enjoy reading your informed and clearly stated posts.
Garsh. Thanks, Tarnation. That’s much appreciated. I think that can be said for a lot of folks here, yourself included. Maybe that’s part of the reason why DM’s sporting a new tagline in the masthead: The #1 Local Blog in the Atlanta Metro. Congrats, DM.
Reasoned debate makes for good reading.
Thanks Scott, I figured it was about time to give myself a little self-promotion, though I’ve been struggling with how to phrase it. Its hard to completely verify, but I’m pretty sure its true…especially in terms of site visits. From what I can tell, we’ve even been beating ol’ Peach Pundit in that category…and that’s more of a state political blog.
Plus the “Independent Voice” thing didn’t really say much.
But your right. I think the reasoned discourse is a big part of the draw. That’s why I try so hard to enforce those seemingly silly rules. For better or worse, they instill a level of discourse, which is lacking from most blog conversations.
Scott, I truly agree. Living in Decatur is a quality of life decision first. And, as I say, I myself think the growth downtown has improved the city. So I don’t mean to suggest judging “smart growth” solely in a quantitative light. On the other hand, part of any responsible assessment of what we’ve done so far is quantitative. We sure expect city hall to be paying close attention to those numbers. Why can’t an “open city hall”?