[Vision2020] Atwood Letter Rewritten

[Saundra Lund]

Hi Mr. Crabtree,

Well, I'm sorry I didn't get the opportunity to meet *you* Tuesday night --
I was there & would have welcomed the opportunity to meet you in person  :-)

You wrote:
 "The few detractors that did speak could only muster the parking issue as
the reason for a denial."

No, sorry -- that's flatly incorrect.  Erosion of the property tax base and
the resulting increase on the other tax paying businesses was mentioned.
Compliance with the Comp Plan was cited.  Preservation of the downtown for
retail & service was mentioned.  From David Johnson's Wednesday Lewiston
Trib article:
"Those opposed were mainly downtown business owners who claimed the college
caused major parking problems that drove retail customers away, robbed city
government because of its tax-exempt status and set a dangerous precedent
for other institutions, like the University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State
College, and North Idaho College, to seek similar downtown locations that
should be preserved for retail business. . . Rosemary Huskey, one of the
more outspoken critics of the college's downtown location, said the city
needs to be more proactive in its enforcement of zoning regulations and
conditional-use permits, rather than reacting to complaints after the fact.
She said she endorses the college and its students, as long as it is located
somewhere other than downtown. "

You also wrote:
"An issue that has been shown to be a false since the school uses no more
parking than any other potential user of that property. This is not just my
biased contention, but the result of statistics provided by the city staff.
"

No, sorry, wrong again.  City staff made the point that NSA *alone* accounts
for about 7% of all auto trips on Main Street:  the average daily trip count
is 4806 with NSA accounting for 332.2 of those trips.  One educational
institution *alone* accounts for 7%, which is clearly out of proportion and
a higher use than other Main St. establishments.  Also, based on NSA's
current enrollment and staffing, it requires 43 parking stalls with an
additional 11 required for the retail space.  At NSA's maximum allowable
enrollment and staffing, they will require 65 parking stalls (plus 11 for
the retail space).  City staff stated that NSA requires 12-34 more parking
stalls that other commercial uses of similar size.

So, in light of those statistics provided by City staff, how do you arrive
at, "An issue that has been shown to be a false since the school uses no
more parking than any other potential user of that property. This is not
just my biased contention, but the result of statistics provided by the city
staff "?

If you want to support the granting of NSA's CUP, that's your right, but
*please* don't twist the facts to support your opinion -- that's a huge
disservice to your credibility and to our community.


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
- Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2005, Saundra Lund.
Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum
without the express written permission of the author.*****


-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of g. crabtree
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:02 PM
To: J Ford; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Atwood Letter Rewritten

Ms.Woolf, It was a pleasure to meet you at the  meeting Tuesday night. As
one of the most vocal (at least on this forum) detractors of NSA, I was very
surprised that you didn't take the opportunity to educate the BOA as to the
evils of the NSA. You complain that the board doesn't listen to the people
and yet you gave them nothing to hear. The overwhelming majority of the
testimony that they did hear was in favor of the collage remaining right
where they are. The few detractors that did speak could only muster the
parking issue as the  reason for a denial. An issue that has been shown to
be a false since the school uses no more parking than any other potential
user of that property. This is not just my biased contention, but the result
of statistics provided by the city staff. What outcome did you expect the
board to produce with that kind of input? I've got to assume that if a
better argument could have been concocted, it would have been brought
forward. It wasn't.

With regard to the whimsical letter that you thoughtfully reproduce for us
here on the V. I would find it far more persuasive, informative, and
entertaining if it had some actual signatures attached, and would be happier
if, as a downtown merchant mine, by implication, wasn't.

Till we meet again,
G. Crabtree
----- Original Message -----
From: "J Ford" <privatejf32 at hotmail.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 3:11 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Atwood Letter Rewritten


> As posted on poohsthink.com (this is NOT just a NSA-only issue - it IS a 
> MOSCOW COMMUNITY issue - please take the time to talk to the merchants 
> downtown and see how they feel.  All we hear is how Atwood and the NSA 
> kids feel.  No one, including and especially the BOA, is listening to the 
> people who live/work in the CBD.):
>
> March 30, 2006
>
> Downtown Merchants
>
> Central Business Zoning District
>
> Moscow, Idaho 83843
>
> Dear President Atwood:
>
> On behalf of the downtown merchants, we're writing to confront you about 
> your decision to occupy Friendship Square without a zoning certificate and

> without offering any mitigation for your detrimental impact, to ask you to

> apologize formally, and to make full restitution as appropriate.
>
> Since, in fact, you occupied the Skattaboe Block without the requisite 
> documentation, you need to do two things at the very least. First, you 
> should apologize personally to your neighbors, who work very hard to 
> maintain their daily businesses and treat everyone - including you - 
> fairly and honestly according to the Zoning Code, for your inappropriate, 
> unilateral decision to invade the Central Business District. And second, 
> since you have not yet paid and contributed anything toward parking 
> mitigation, you should do so immediately to make full restitution for 
> essentially robbing your neighbors and stealing from those businesses who 
> have conducted themselves lawfully, according to the Zoning Code. Those 
> who moved in legally had every right and expectation of not having an 
> overcrowded parking lot. Your decision to crash the zone was not only 
> wrong but rude, so as merchants we ask you to confess it, apologize, and 
> pay an extra amount because of your non-conforming use.
>
> Perhaps there were mitigating circumstances surrounding your occupation 
> that would change or correct this perspective, but at this point, with two

> previous zoning violations under your belt, it doesn't look good. Let us 
> know if this is incorrect. Barring that, please reconcile yourself to 
> these retail establishments in a way befitting an institution that names 
> Christ. Make full restitution to your neighbors.
>
> We are delighted you were so anxious to occupy Friendship Square, but next

> time we urge you to obey the law of the land with the respect and honor it

> deserves.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Downtown Merchants
>
>
>
> PS: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:39)
>
> J  :|