[Vision2020] Council Must Reject Rezone

[Tom Hansen]

>From the Letters section of today's (May 8, 2006) Moscow-Pullman Daily News
with a special thanks to Luke Sheneman.

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Council must reject rezone 

I emphatically oppose the rezoning of the 77 acres on State Highway 8 in
Moscow. 

When I moved to Moscow in 1990 to attend the University of Idaho, I did not
appreciate Moscow's unique qualities. I eventually grew to love Moscow.
Despite this, I moved from the Palouse to a large metropolitan area and I
was constantly reminded of what I had left behind. While living in the city,
the maze of crowded highways, pedestrian unfriendly areas, dying downtowns
and big-box stores deepened my love and understanding of Moscow's seemingly
unique sanity. I eventually returned to Moscow with my wife to raise our
children in the best possible place we could find. 

We moved back both for what Moscow has and what Moscow does not have. We
moved here to escape the sprawl and the big-box stores. Moscow grew slightly
when we moved here, and my story is not unique. Moscow grew and will
continue to grow because it does not have large numbers of big-box stores. 

This particular 77 acres is special and should not be rezoned to
motor-business. It is too close to the cemetery, the South Fork of the
Palouse River and the Latah Trail. A large big-box store at this location
would obstruct views of Tomer Butte. In addition, the east side of Moscow
has large tracts of vacant retail space at the Eastside Marketplace and
former Tidyman's. Obviously, the east side of Moscow has a glut of retail
space. While the landowner has undeniable property rights, development of
this land affects the broader community. The City Council must weigh the
rights and interests of all involved. I sincerely hope that they will reject
the rezoning of the 77 acres for motor business. 

Luke Sheneman, Moscow

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I agree with you 100%, Mr. Sheneman.

One suggestion to maintain a large portion of Moscow's "green"ery would be
not to pave a 77-acre parcel that may evolve into nothing more than a
weed-infested blacktop eye-sore.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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"A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men." 

- Thomas Paine (English Writer, 1737-1809)

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