[Vision2020] RE: Downtown Zoning Games
Mark Seman
FCS at Moscow.com
Fri May 20 11:35:22 PDT 2005
J,
I don't know what it is ALL about, but this IS about what is currently going
on relative to the zoning code and the CBD. This IS about community
development and community decomposition. This IS about your future. This
IS about my future. This IS about Moscow's future.
I cc: v2020 because I wanted to vent. I wanted to express the frustration I
have with the continuing turn of events that plague Moscow because of its
zoning ordinance. I wanted to express my continued frustration with those
"community leaders" that I perceive as being more self-serving than
community-serving. I wanted to put my views out in the hopes that someone
would learn something new. I wanted to "go public," so that if the Co-op
zoning issue comes to the Board of Adjustment, the public knows of my ex
parti communications. I wanted to help increase the exposue of the
Chamber's board and committees' efforts to public view.
I think Paul sent this to me because I am co-chair of the Chamber's
Community Development Committee. He's interested in helping this community
come together by having the Chamber's CDC & Board addressing zoning issues
as they impact downtown businesses. (The CDC will meet next on June 7th @
4:30pm, Chamber conference room, and this might be on our agenda.)
I assumed it was o.k. to cc: V2020, but upon reflection, I had reservations
about sending it out w/o Paul's prior permission. I sent email to him
apologizing and he responded that he was copacetic with me sending it. I
did not request one nor have I heard responses from others in the Chamber.
Mark
Mark Seman, Architect
Heather Seman, Landscape Architect
1404 East 'F' Street Moscow, Idaho 83843
v 208-883-3276 / f 208-883-0112
-----Original Message-----
From: J Ford [mailto:privatejf32 at hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 10:24 PM
To: FCS at Moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] RE: Downtown Zoning Games
Mark;
What is this all about? Why did you cc: V2020 and why is Kimmel writing
this to you?
J
>From: "Mark Seman" <FCS at Moscow.com>
>To: "Paul J. Kimmell" <pjk at moscowchamber.com>, "'Jon Kimberling'"
><jonk at n-k-ins.com>
>CC: Rhonda Comstock <comstock at Moscow.com>, Kelly Armstrong
><kelly.armstrong at surgerycs.com>, John Grauke
><drgrauke at turbonet.com>, Jack Hill <jmhill at Moscow.com>, Mark Boehne
><mboehneabm at yahoo.com>, Kristen Hagen <info at moscowchamber.com>,
> David Leach <clearview at cveyes.com>, darren malm
><darren at inlandcellular.com>, Jeff Martin <jeff.martin at gritman.org>,
> phil mack <pmack at ambassadorauto.com>, Janice McMillan
><jmcmillan at FBNW.com>, "Jennifer O'Brien" <jobrien at Moscow.com>,
> Dustin Weitz <dr_weitz at yahoo.com>, Candis Donicht
><donicht at sd281.k12.id.us>, Vision2020 <vision2020 at Moscow.com>,
> Naomi Lewis <staff at moscowchamber.com>, patrick cummings
><patrick.cummings at nmfn.com>, Mark Boehne <ajar at Moscow.com>, Chamber
>Admin <admin at moscowchamber.com>, Paul Kimmell
><pkimmell at latah.id.us>, Bob Hieronymus <bobh at uidaho.edu>, Tom McGann
><tomm at uidaho.edu>, Susan Fagan <susan_fagan at selinc.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] RE: Downtown Zoning Games
>Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 21:36:00 -0700
>Paul,
>Zoning issues go way beyond just the CBD. Moscow's entire zoning ordinance
>is out of date and is based on a model from the post WWII era. The City is
>currently trying to revise the Comp Plan and will tackle the Zoning
>Ordinances afterwards. This will take quite some time though.
>Unfortunately, there are citizens that are using the current ordinance as a
>weapon of community destruction and because it is in-place, it is the "law
>of the land." I would much prefer a zoning model that provides for
>greater
>discretionary power for P&Z and BOA. The written ordinance cannot
>anticipate enough detail without being overly cumbersome in text. It
>should
>be broad stroked with fine-tuning done with public hearings, board
>decisions
>and city council review.
>
>There have been (and are) communities w/o our type of zoning model and they
>operate quite well. It does take a strong, grounded sense of community for
>this to happen. Moscow continues to struggle with this because of many
>citizens', business leaders' and development organizations' mis-conceptions
>of what constitutes "community development." It will take a centered group
>to take the concept forward - towards real understanding and direction. I
>have yet to observe many of our community leaders comprehending anything
>outside of their own cliques and addressing the real issues this community
>needs to be looking at.
>
>I'm not convinced the Chambers' CDC can apply the leverage needed to get
>Moscow to face itself head-on. Until our own lead-izens can start to look
>beyond their noses and see a world outside of themselves, I don't see much
>progress being made. I applaud your sensitivities and I will continue to
>do
>what I can to work towards finding the light switch, but I'm not sure the
>bulb is even screwed in.
>
>Still mildly optimistic,
>Mark
>
>Mark Seman, Architect
>Heather Seman, Landscape Architect
>1404 East 'F' Street Moscow, Idaho 83843
>v 208-883-3276 / f 208-883-0112
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Paul J. Kimmell [mailto:pjk at moscowchamber.com]
> > Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 8:28 PM
> > To: Mark Seman; 'Jon Kimberling'
> > Cc: Bob Hieronymus; Candis Donicht; darren malm; David Leach; Dustin
> > Weitz; Jack Hill; Janice McMillan; Jeff Martin; Jennifer O'Brien; John
> > Grauke; Kelly Armstrong; Mark Boehne; Mark Boehne; patrick cummings;
>phil
> > mack; Rhonda Comstock; Susan Fagan; Tom McGann; Chamber Admin; Kristen
> > Hagen; Naomi Lewis; Paul Kimmell
> > Subject: Downtown Zoning Games
> >
> > Janice, Mark, Jon and Mark:
> >
> > Okay. I’m ready call a truce on the silliness that is presently
>occurring
> > in downtown Moscow. This has gone far enough and I want all of you to
> > consider the following proposal.
> >
> > As your Executive Director, I would like to see the Community
>Development
> > Committee of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce formally request the City of
> > Moscow deal with the CDB zone now. Clear off their P&Z schedule of work
> > and deal with it. We obviously have a problem with an out-dated
>ordinance
> > for a new economy here. Downtown land uses have changed all over the
> > country and we’ll never see a return to a large retail segment in these
> > old downtown boxes. Before we spend another ounce of taxpayer funded
> > energy on zoning complaints, public hearings and possible court actions,
> > we all need to come to the table and deal with the present downtown land
> > uses.
> >
> > I see absolutely no down side to this and the sooner we get the City to
> > rethink downtown zoning, the better. I think the CDC is a good
>committee
> > to bring this forward on behalf of entire business community.
> >
> > I am not happy with the way anyone is acting in this new sport of zoning
> > wars. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
> >
> > Paul J. Kimmell
> > Executive Director
> > Moscow Chamber of Commerce
> > 411 S. Main Street
> > Moscow, ID 83843
> > HYPERLINK "mailto:pjk at moscowchamber.com"pjk at moscowchamber.com
> > HYPERLINK "http://www.moscowchamber.com"www.moscowchamber.com
> > 208-882-1800; 800-380-1801
> >
> > The attached email does not necessarily represent the views of the
>Moscow
> > Chamber of Commerce. As a membership-driven organization our goal is
>to
> > provide you with information to benefit your business. This
>information
> > is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named as recipient(s).
> > It may contain information that is privileged or confidential. If you
> > are not the intended recipient of this transmission, please notify the
> > sender immediately by telephone.
> >
> >
> >
> > --
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><< winmail.dat >>
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