[Vision2020] Letters of Opinions

Sun Nov 6 10:17:09 PST 2005

Tom,

I have already commented on V 2020 upon the proposed Third Street bridge from the standpoint of a systems engineer.  I understand that completely independent of those remarks at least one other engineer has said the same things in a Moscow public forum.

For the big picture, here is what I opine:

The main issue for Muscovites (and those who frequent Moscow) to decide is the importance of neighborhood continuity, connection, and safety.

If neighborhood continuity, connection, and safety are not as important as changing traffic flow so that two or three minutes can be shaved off someone's commute, then the Third Street bridge and other neighborhood transecting routes should be built.

If continuity, connection, and safety are more important than changing traffic flow so that two or three minutes can be shaved off someone's commute, then through traffic should be routed around neighborhoods rather than through them.

This is not a new concept!  Creating/maintaining neighborhood integrity (= continuity, connection, and safety) has long been a goal of many quality communities, who, for example, require the design of new developments/subdivisions to be like enclaves, not internally affected by the flow of traffic in general or that from adjacent neighborhoods.

The problem of process in the bridge dispute is the same as the problem of process in the downtown zoning dispute:  There is a clear, statutorily mandated process for making these decisions which has not been followed.  Part, perhaps the most important part, of that process is to have clearly stated, achievable goals in the Comprehensive Plan.

The goals of the Comprehensive Plan should be in place before decisions about the Third Street bridge or the downtown zoning revisions should be attempted.  To do otherwise may be in contravention of state law and may make the decisions in these matters ripe for successful appeals in court.

The creation/maintenance of the goals in the Comprehensive Plan should involve more community input than just posting a hearing notice in the legals in the newspaper and then listening to the few people who show up for the formal public hearings.  

This is my opinion, based not only on years of participating in these kinds of processes, but as someone who was a planning and zoning coordinator/director for three years is what should occur:

Elected public leaders like the Mayor and City Council and relevant city employees like the City Manager and the Director of Community Development should expend much energy in creating/maintaining viable, lively mechanisms to encourage broad community input.  For example, they should help to create and then nurture neighborhood groups/associations whose purpose is discuss the issues which affect their neighborhood and the city as a whole.  

These leaders/employees should make continual efforts to keep these groups/associations healthy and also encourage by as much direct contact as practical all people affected to participate by giving input in planning and zoning processes, and indeed all important policy aspects of the city administration.  A very important part of this effort is for the city to hire competent, energetic, people oriented personnel whose attitude includes this community based input approach and whose actions demonstrate it.

In my opinion, Moscow has been far from successful for the most part in implementing this kind of outreach.  I hope this can change.

Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Ivie 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 2:27 PM
  Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Letters of Opinions

  Oh No, not change (read the sarcasm).  How misguided!  Your brother doesn't live at the creek.  My reference was to the four houses at the Creek.  Last time I noticed, your brother wasn't elderly or a widow either (more sarcasm).  As far as response time is concerned, your fair guess is wrong as far as the the owners of those four houses are concerned, none of them have complained yet.  Quite the contrary, I know these neighbors very well and I know that they would rather die in their houses than have that street go through. In fact, two houses down is the fire captain and around the corner on Roosevelt are two EMT's who have always managed to be the first on the scene, and in quite a quick fashion.  Plus, I am not positive of this, but I think your sister-in-law is also an EMT around the other corner on Cleveland.    

  The 1912 building is a whole other topic, one of which I am not well versed on.  I simply stated my neighbor's concerns and the fact that Steed didn't like her opinion.  Does that mean I fear change?  I don't think so.  It might mean that my neighbor fears changes that could happen at the 1912 building.  You would have to ask her though.  -Tom

  Julie Crumley <joodge at hotmail.com> wrote:

    Tom Ivie wrote:

    "...All the people that live in the houses surrounding the creek are elderly and on fixed incomes..."

    I don't know what "surrounding" entails exactly in this context, but a certain sibling of mine lives quite near this proposed bridge and I'm sure he has no plans of moving.  I think it'd be a fair guess to say that the citizens living at the end of 3rd street near the proposed bridge would appreciate a quicker response from fire and police over their new bridge that creates an easier flow of transportation! Change happens. Long-term homeowners see many changes in the neighborhood around them. It's the nature of things.  I grew up in a house in east Moscow bordered on two sides by farm fields as far as the eye could see, that is now smack dab in the middle of quite a large dubdivision. Things happen.  

    As far as senior programs, they have been moved already from the Old Post Office to the 1912 building, and may be moved again sometime in the near or distant future. Again, change happens. I would venture to say most people in this community values these programs, but the exact location of them is not that big of a part of the equation.

    An underlying theme I noticed in Mr. Ivie's post is that he fears change. He expresses the fear of change of his neighbors and friends.  I DO NOT fear change, as change brings about new and exciting things.  If we never let anything change in our town, we'd have no new track and football field at the high school, we'd have no Kibbie Dome, we'd be swimming in the old, cracked pool I swam in as a child....see the pattern? I'm all for  positive, forward change, and I don't think I'm alone.

    JC

    *****VOTE*****
     DAN CARSCALLEN 
    FOR 
    *CITY COUNCIL*
    NOVEMBER 8th

    COPYRIGHT 2005 JULIE CRUMLEY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SO THERE.

    *~*The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.*~*

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