[Summit] North Main Street hearing

[Greg Gerritt]

My take on this is that these things take years.  Especially if you
actually include the public and give them real opportuinities to comment.
greg

On 5/21/14 9:52 AM, "amasri1 at cox.net" <amasri1 at cox.net> wrote:

>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 building¹s 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 ³this is today² and under
>>current
>> > regulations, the developer had met all the requirements.
>> > >>      Commission chair Christine West said that the zoning revision
>>³is
>> > an opportunity to make the city we want,² 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 building¹s 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 ³this is today² and under
>>current
>> > regulations, the developer had met all the requirements.
>> > >>
>> > >>      Commission chair Christine West said that the zoning revision
>>³is
>> > an opportunity to make the city we want,² 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
>> > >>
>> > 
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>> > >> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
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>> > > 
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>> > > SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
>> >
>> >
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>> > 
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>> >
>
>
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