[Summit] North Main Street hearing

[amasri1 at cox.net]

But WHY has it taken so long to change the zoning ordinances when the comprehensive and neighborhood plans were completed 5+ years ago?  It's a little disingenuous to say your hands are tied because of the zoning when they have dragged their feet on getting it changed.  And the city knew the importance of this location because SNA's North Main Street Committee held numerous meetings with them over a number of YEARS outlining the vision of a mixed use building, not another surface lot.  It's just more evidence of a weak comprehensive plan and a weak planning department that does not have the guts to implement and enforce it.  Sorry for the rant but I feel like years of work trying to imagine an improved North Main Street have gone down the drain (I wish I could state this in stronger language).  At least we can take solace in Jordan Durham's building on the street.  I wish he was a multimillionaire so he could have built something on the Sears site.

Aaron
---- Coryndon Luxmoore <coryndon at luxmoore.com> wrote: 
> Christine is correct about the state of the zoning laws it is not
> sophistry.
> 
> If you hate this project please consider asking the mayoral candidates to
> pledge:
> - to pass the proposed zoning changes as is with no changes
> - lower the commercial tax rates (or raise rates on surface lots to best
> use rates) that make it cheaper to have a surface parking lot than maintain
> a building
> - stronger enforcement of maintenance ordinances
> 
> -- C
> 
> 
> On Tue, May 20, 2014 at 10:32 PM, Elizabeth Grossman <egrossman1 at cox.net>wrote:
> 
> > I completely second Aaron's statement.  I wish I could say I have never
> > heard such sophistry.. but sadly it is all too common in our political
> > environment. Elizabeth.
> > On May 20, 2014, at 9:36 PM, Aaron Masri wrote:
> >
> > > I'm pretty sure that the city's comprehensive plan does not call for
> > every acre of land to be turned into a giant parking lot.  And that BS
> > about the zoning is bullocks.  How many years has past since the
> > comprehensive plan was approved. They had plenty of time to change the
> > zoning but couldn't get it done.  I promise that if I become a developer
> > and am able to build something there, I will personally jack hammer every
> > square inch of asphalt from that lot.  Meanwhile, I ride the 99 bus quite a
> > bit and I am not looking forward to the queasy feeling I will get each time
> > I ride past.  Dammit I'm pissed!
> > >
> > > Aaron
> > >
> > > On May 20, 2014 9:03 PM, Kerry Kohring <kerrykohring at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>        The Providence City Plan Commission Tuesday approved a revised
> > plan to construct a fitness center on North Main Street and to replace the
> > Sears building with a 300-space parking lot.
> > >>        Although 11 neighborhood residents testified against the plan
> > and members of the UniteHere! union displayed a chain of 86 letters, many
> > from Summit, opposing the project, the board voted unanimously in favor of
> > the construction.
> > >>      The approval was conditional on the LA Fitness chain working with
> > planning staff to develop a system to dim after-hours lights in the parking
> > lot and make the building’s signs more in keeping with the surroundings.
> > >>       Acting Director of Planning and Development Robert Azar admitted
> > that the proposal would not have been permitted under the new zoning rules
> > currently being codified, but said that “this is today” and under current
> > regulations, the developer had met all the requirements.
> > >>      Commission chair Christine West said that the zoning revision “is
> > an opportunity to make the city we want,” but also said current criteria
> > had been met. She and other members of the panel thanked the residents who
> > had taken the time to testify Tuesday and at a similar hearing in April.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>       The Providence City Plan Commission Tuesday approved a revised
> > plan to construct a fitness center on North Main Street and to replace the
> > Sears building with a 300-space parking lot.
> > >>
> > >>      Although 11 neighborhood residents testified against the plan and
> > members of the UniteHere! union displayed a chain of 86 letters, many from
> > Summit, opposing the project, the board voted unanimously in favor of the
> > construction.
> > >>
> > >>      The approval was conditional on the LA Fitness chain working with
> > planning staff to develop a system to dim after-hours lights in the parking
> > lot and make the building’s signs more in keeping with the surroundings.
> > >>
> > >>       Acting Director of Planning and Development Robert Azar admitted
> > that the proposal would not have been permitted under the new zoning rules
> > currently being codified, but said that “this is today” and under current
> > regulations, the developer had met all the requirements.
> > >>
> > >>      Commission chair Christine West said that the zoning revision “is
> > an opportunity to make the city we want,” but also said current criteria
> > had been met. She and other members of the panel thanked the residents who
> > had taken the time to testify Tuesday and at a similar hearing in April.
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> Summit mailing list
> > >> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
> > >>
> > http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
> > >> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Summit mailing list
> > > Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
> > > http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
> > > SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Summit mailing list
> > Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
> > http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
> > SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
> >