[Vision2020] RE: Downtown Zoning Games
Mark Seman
FCS at Moscow.com
Fri May 20 15:53:03 PDT 2005
J,
What is it that you are so shocked about? What are your perceptions and
what are you thinking?
The way things get accomplished and the way to be heard is through
involvement. I would not rely on any entities to have my own unique
interests in mind. I know what I have in my own mind and I direct my
actions accordingly. It is a community's people who best represent the
interest of its citizens. We don't all agree and so there are processes to
help develop consensus and make decisions. If those processes are
(perceived as) broke then work towards a fix should follow. Who does the
work will partly depends on people's perceptions. If you percieve the
Chamber as needing new board members, work towards it. If I percieve zoning
as needing a change, I will work towards it.
There is no assurance that any of our actions will be right, easy or quick.
I know from my own efforts to affect change, it is often slow and difficult.
I don't know if what I'm doing is right, but I percieve it to be and that's
why I continue with MY agendae. I choose to be active and involved on
boards that promote ART, ENVIRONMENT, and DEVELOPMENT. It is through
combined common interests that individuals and groups can help move policy
and processes forward.
One problem that can occur within a community (may be any scale - local or
global), and Moscow (and Middle East) has been struggling with this, is when
two (or more) factions are so stubborn in their perceptions that they become
a drag on community. So much effort is wasted (expended) on conflict with
no end in sight. It takes visionary leaders to help work through problems
rather than continue them. It also takes all participants of the conflict
to understand that their perceptions are just perceptions and if they WANT,
their perceptions can be altered to allow for reconciliation and movement
for a more encompassing community development.
Until there is a multi-lateral increased willingness for understanding, any
movement towards betterment is going nowhere. There is room for Moscow to
head either way. I'd like to see it improve.
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: Friday, May 20, 2005 12:09 PM
To: FCS at Moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] RE: Downtown Zoning Games
Mr. Seman;
I am shocked that Mr. Kimmell would even think to do something like this.
What is he thinking? How many other times has this happened that you have
not told us about? How often does it happen? Personally, I am not thrilled
to know people, who are supposed to be representing the community's best
interest, are busy working behind the scenes for their own best interest.
I was also shocked to see just how many CC members are on the Chamber Board
- talk about stacking the deck! There are no less than six of them out of a
board that is only 18 strong - clearly, 1/3 of the board are being
controlled by one entity in this city. This is especially worrisome, since
the members of the board are nominated by the Ex. Director - who just
happens to be Paul Kimmell!!!
It is my opinion that a cleaning of the board is very definitely in order.
J
>From: "Mark Seman" <FCS at Moscow.com>
>To: "J Ford" <privatejf32 at hotmail.com>
>CC: "Vision2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] RE: Downtown Zoning Games
>Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 11:35:22 -0700
>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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