[Vision2020] NSA/Verizon/Zoning Trouble Timeline (was: Whostartedit? Who cares?)

Sat Dec 17 11:45:58 PST 2005

Rumor Control has it, and inquiring minds want to know:

Is Moscow City Council maintaining a suggestion box at Anselm House?

Hmmm.

Tom "just stirring the stink pot" Hansen

U.S. Army (Double-Dipping Lifer)

Just Another Intolerista Liberal Elitista Diversity-Cleansing Wacko Nutjob
Horse's *** Loose in the Palouse Doing What Comes Natural

 "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"

  _____  

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Bruce and Jean Livingston
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2005 11:20 AM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] NSA/Verizon/Zoning Trouble Timeline (was:
Whostartedit? Who cares?)

I think that a subsequent post from Rose Huskey corrects, though not
explicitly, the mistake in paragraph 3 below of Joan's recitation.  I
believe that the City did give NSA an occupancy permit for the Skattaboe
bldg.  What NSA failed to obtain was a "zoning certificate," which is also
required.  That certificate has still never been issued (and can't be,
unless the zoning code is changed, because NSA has been found to be an
illegal use under current code).

The files available for review in City Hall plainly show that when NSA was
being told about its various zoning violations in Fort Russell and that they
had to leave Fort Russell (where they were operating illegally), that the
City explained the requirement of the Zoning Certificate.  Nevertheless, NSA
did not apply for a zoning certificate when it moved downtown.

Bruce Livingston

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Joan Opyr <mailto:joanopyr at earthlink.net>  

To: bill bonte <mailto:bbonte at moscow.com>  

Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com 

Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 6:33 PM

Subject: [Vision2020] NSA/Verizon/Zoning Trouble Timeline (was: Who
startedit? Who cares?)

On 16 Dec 2005, at 16:31, bill bonte wrote:

Speaking of who started it, what was the origin of the NSA zoning mess.  I
have read vision2020 and the daily news for the past 2 years and I still am
not clear on two points.

1. Didn't the realtor who sold the building to NSA know that the planned use
was a violation of the zoning ordinance?  Shouldn't she bear some
(financial) responsibility for this mess?

2. Why didn't the city intervene and forbid the use of the property as a
college.  Did they know what was to be done with the property or was NSA's
opening a surprise?   If I open a small grocery store in my garage, zoned
R-2,   I'm sure I'd be issued a zoning violation citation and forced to
close.

I seems so simple to me:  the CBD is not zoned for a college, close them
down!

Bill Bonte

Hi Bill,

This is the timeline of events, as best I recall:

1. The Verizon Building was sold by Bennett Realty, specifically by Shelly
Bennett. (I may be spelling her first name wrong. Perhaps it's Shelley?)
There was more than one bid for the building, and Doug Wilson's was the
lowest, not the highest. Why NSA won is anyone's guess. A tax write-off for
Verizon because they sold to a non-profit. (Yes, I know; that opens up
another can of worms.)

2. At the time of the Verizon sale, New St. Andrews was located -- illegally
-- in the home of Chris Schlect on Polk Street. The City told Schlect and
company that they could not operate a college in this residential zone. The
college continued to operate in that location until the Verizon/Skattaboe
Building was renovated and ready to be occupied.

3. NSA moved into the Verizon/Skattaboe Building. They did not get and do
not now have an occupancy permit.

4. Three evangelical Christians -- two former NSA students and one ex-member
of Christ Church -- filed a zoning complaint against NSA on the grounds that
educational institutions are prohibited in the Central Business District.
Why? Because the CBD was created to prevent the encroachment of the U of I
on downtown retail space. This happened in the wake of the U of I's purchase
of the old Murdock's Tavern and Cavenaugh's Hotel.

5. Joel Plaskon ruled on behalf of the City that the complaint filed against
NSA was without merit or some such. (Mike Curley, the attorney for the three
plaintiffs, will perhaps supply the correct terminology.) 

6. Plaskon's ruling was appealed. The City Council then voted 4 to 2 that
NSA could not, in fact, be located in the Central Business District under
current zoning code. 

7. Someone or ones set in motion the current attempt to amend the city
zoning code so that NSA could remain downtown. I attended several city
planning and zoning meetings, ably chaired by Jerry Schutz, who earned my
eternal respect for his exemplary conduct of those hearings, during which
everyone was hot under the collar and pretty damned feisty. He never lost
his cool or, more importantly, his sense of humor and proportion. (I think
Jerry is a Republican, so coming from this Democrat, this praise is high
praise indeed.)

8. Planning and Zoning made a host of recommendations re: amending city code
to allow NSA downtown. The City Council rejected those and bounced the whole
thing back to P & Z, which worked again on this thankless task. The fight
now seems to be about parking rather than a straight up-or-down should
colleges be allowed in the Central Business District. 

I say no; some say yes; others don't seem to give a tinker's damn. I envy
the latter group because they're not tempted to kick one another's teeth
down one another's throat over this issue. I'm sure they fight about other
things -- whether or not Moscow needs a ring road; water mining; the
proposed ball fields. Who knows? We're all different, and different things
push our buttons. 

(Mine are pushed by people who call my friends "simpering douche bags." I'm
funny that way. I also don't much care for hectoring lurkers who get hold of
the wrong end of the stick and then proceed to lecture me on bullying. I'm
glad I don't have Kathy Sprague's nerve in my tooth.) 

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com

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