[Vision2020] Primary Function of Downtown is not Business,
but People
Donovan Arnold
donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
Mon May 23 18:43:22 PDT 2005
I must disagree with the people that say that Downtown
Moscow is for business and profit. I think it is for
people.
If it were just for business and profit we would not
allow government buildings and non-profit
organizations downtown. Nor would we allow apartments,
government stations and offices, and have a big park,
oddly enough, named Friendship Square.
The reason for the diversity of businesses and
entities downtown is to attempt to bring together as
many diverse groups of people as we can downtown to
mingle and communicate that would otherwise not meet
in their daily lives.
If property tax income for the city is the goal there
are other areas besides NSA that can bring in more
money and resources.
The Police Station, the Fire Station, all the
disability services, and housing could be moved
elsewhere to make room for more profitable businesses.
But honestly, I think we all know this is not about
the law, paying taxes, making downtown more busy, or
any issue of that nature. The true reason for the
zoning complaint is to remove NSA from the community.
That is why I am opposed to the removal of NSA. If the
City Council decided, along with all the citizens of
Moscow, that we wanted to have a strict enforcement of
the current zoning code laws, and applied it to all
the businesses, I would agree with this decision. But
discriminatory application and enforcement of the
zoning code is discrimination.
This is about shutting down NSA and denying their
right to exist, nothing else.
It does not matter where NSA moves to next if forced
to move, they will always be in violation of some law
or another because NSA does not fit any of Moscow's
zoning codes and the City Council will not allow them
existence in any decent place where someone would want
an education.
While I do not agree with Christ Church on religious
matters, I do believe in the First Amendment, and I do
believe that the peoples of NSA and Christ Church have
a right to practice their faith, whatever it may be,
without harassment by members of the community or
government interference. I want this right not just
for them, I want it for everyone. I want a Gay church
to have this right, a Catholic church, a Mormon
church, Jehovah Witness, Muslims, a Jewish church,
anyone and everyone deserves this basic right no
matter how whacked out, messed up, offensive, or
bizarre those religious beliefs may seem to the
community standard of NORMAL.
I believe in the First Amendment. I do not believe in
it just when it suites me, or suites a group I like, I
believe in it at all times. The amendment was not
placed their to protect the popular religions and
ideas, they do not need protection. It was placed
there to protect the unpopular ideas, beliefs and
religions. People in the past that shared your
religion, faith, or lack thereof, were at some time,
some place, by someone, targeted and discriminated
against. Be not like them.
Take Care,
Donovan J Arnold
--- Bill London <london at moscow.com> wrote:
> Dale:
> The Moscow Food Co-op is not in violation of the
> existing zoning ordinace.
> The primary function of the Central Business
> District zoning ordinances is the preservation of
> the area as a place for retail businesses. All
> retail business is welcomed there except for dealers
> in bulky products like trailers or farm equipment.
> The Co-op clearly qualifies.
> The only mention of grocery stores is in a list
> on included examples in the motor business section.
> Grocery stores is not a defined term in the code,
> and so is not specifically prohibited anywhere.
> BL
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dale Courtney
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 8:07 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Co-op: Yes, But Not Downtown
>
>
> Bill London has speculated on the motives of the
> individuals who recently filed a complaint against
> the Moscow Food Co-op for violating Moscow's zoning
> code. He said nothing about the merits of the
> request. No one attempted to judge the motives of
> the Co-op's agents who bypass city code as they
> attempt to occupy the old Garts building in downtown
> Moscow, because while the reason they are violating
> the ordinance is irrelevant, that they are indeed
> violating the ordinance is **not**.
>
> The Comprehensive Plan says that the success of
> the Central Business District can be attributed to
> "compactness." Indeed, the compactness and "variety
> of businesses" in downtown, as opposed to one-stop
> shopping under one-roof, encourage people to make
> the trip, rather than to a large supermarket or
> shopping mall in the Motor Business District.
>
> According to the Comprehensive Plan, reduction
> in auto movement is absolutely necessary for the
> continued viability of the Central Business District
> (CBD). There is already considerable auto movement,
> and "this traffic represents a danger to shoppers
> crossing Main Street within the downtown area." As
> the focus for the CBD is pedestrian-orientation, any
> business that locates downtown should not
> significantly attract additional motor traffic.
>
> Moscow's Zoning Code defines different types of
> retail establishments: those "dispensing food or
> commodities including on-premise sales, sales
> requiring delivery of goods, and drive-up facilities
> such as shopping centers and malls, **grocery
> stores**, gasoline service stations" MCC 4.3.7.B(1).
> Grocery stores have been defined differently from
> other retail establishments due to their nature as a
> drive-up facility--where a vehicle is required for
> most people in order to transport back to home their
> weekly shopping.
>
> Perhaps Moscow's city planners understood the
> dynamics of retail growth--that what once was a
> corner Green Grocer yesterday, will be the new
> full-service supermarket tomorrow, complete with
> deli, bakery, and all the other components for
> convenient one-stop shopping. That is why they
> expressly forbid the establishment of grocery stores
> in the CBD. MCC 3.3.5.B. Grocery stores are
> distinctly defined in the Code, and those uses which
> are not expressly permitted, are therefore
> prohibited.
>
> To preserve the downtown core, it makes sense to
> prohibit grocery stores and other drive-up
> facilities that are much better suited for the Motor
> Business District. The increased vehicular traffic
> poses an inherent risk to pedestrians. Moscow's
> downtown core is best served by a wide array and
> collection of small shops and business that lend
> themselves to a "boutique" atmosphere. When
> considered together these enhance the pedestrian
> foot traffic throughout the CBD. One-stop shopping
> and supermarkets would not only take away from this
> atmosphere by discouraging pedestrian traffic within
> the downtown core, but by also directly competing
> with a host of existing downtown businesses. It's
> simple economic logic.
>
> One permitted use that might be incompatible
> with downtown zoning objectives should not suggest
> expanding those incompatible uses. Rather, it
> suggests the City should consider restricting the
> expansion of all other potentially incompatible
> uses. Regardless of other future changes, we are
> confident that if the City Council wants Moscow's
> primary pedestrian, open-air mall opened to uses
> currently inconsistent with the intended use of the
> Downtown area, such as a grocery store, then they
> will follow due process by amending the
> Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Code, both of
> which would require extensive public hearings,
> impact-analysis reports, traffic analysis--foot, and
> especially auto and parking, and a discussion of the
> cultural effects on the community. Nevertheless,
> until the Co-op complies with the current zoning
> ordinance, the law clearly states that their
> activities are illegal and must be discontinued.
>
> I am surprised by the Co-op's apparent
> unwillingness to **voluntarily** relocate to the
> Motor Business District in Moscow where they can
> operate legally. The Co-op is valued by a number of
> Moscow citizens, and in answer to the question of
> whether I want the Co-op in Moscow, a resounding:
> Yes, But Not Downtown!
>
> Dedicated to Mike Curley, who recently wrote an
> op-ed entitled NSA: Yes, But Not Downtown.
>
> Written by Don#2.
> http://right-mind.us/archive/2005/05/20/4055.aspx
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
_____________________________________________________
> List services made available by First Step
> Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since
> 1994.
> http://www.fsr.net
>
> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>
>
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> >
_____________________________________________________
> List services made available by First Step
> Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>
> http://www.fsr.net
>
> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>
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