[Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth

[g. crabtree]

The problem with Ms. Sullivan's letter is its backhanded attempt to give credit to the incumbent candidate's for the emergence of all these "new businesses." In practically all of the cases cited the city had no say in whether the establishment opened its doors or not. The locations were properly zoned and no variance was required nor any change made to the comprehensive plan. The only exceptions to this might be Nectar and San Miguel's as the city would have had to approve their beer and wine license. In all the other cases since the city was not asked to make any accommodation for the new enterprise they effectively had no say in whether they opened their doors or not. We are fortunate in that a person does not have to go and genuflect before city government and obtain a blessing to start a perfectly legal biz in a properly zoned commercial space, at least for now.

I believe that in the majority of the instances where entrepreneurs did need to go before the council and our illustrious mayor to obtain some sort of dispensation they were roundly turned down.

To say Moscow is anti-growth is almost certainly incorrect but to say that the MCA endorsed incumbent candidates are anti-growth is to strike much closer to the mark. Support for Dan Carscallen, Walter Steed, and Wayne Krauss will go along way toward improving our business climate as well as peoples negative perceptions.

g
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "April Fingerlos" <aprilf at fingerlos.net>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 8:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth


>A perspective from Lurkerville...
> 
> The only problem with Brandy's interesting list is that nearly every one of them is a replacement business, not a new one. That's not growth--that's maintenance. Don't forget Winger's doubled in size by reworking the old Bonanza building, and Tucci's took their old building. But, again, both are replacement businesses, not new ones. VJ's BBQ and Loco Grindz are more replacement business. Fastenal moved into a bigger building, and Animal House slowly moved into their old building (returning the building to a pet business). The Inland Blood Center is yet another replacement business, as is the list-beloved Moscow Food Co-Op. I'm admittedly not one that puts the magnifying glass to the council's meeting agendas, but offhand, I don't know that the city council had much influence on any of these, nor any of the additional replacements Brandy lists. 
> 
> What about totally new construction for a totally new business to Moscow? PAWS is one I can think of right off--it was neat to see an Arxx building go up from bare ground. The small malls (Rodeo Mall and Village Center) are businesses in their own respect, but at the same time, aren't really in this context. It's kind of like calling a condo complex a business--it sort of is, but I'm referring primarily to general public-interacting businesses in this context. 
> 
> If that's all the real growth there has been, I can see the support for the anti-growth perception. 
> 
> As for future replacement predictions, I already miss Stookey's for my show gelding's Purina Strategy supply, but I would guess that the building will be leveled and replaced by a recycling center expansion. And, of course, there's the URA ground, but who knows what will ultimately wind up there.
> 
> April
> 
> April Fingerlos
> Moscow, ID 
> 
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