[Vision2020] discrimination and zoning (was say what?)

Thu Sep 20 20:38:36 PDT 2007

Unfortunately, though -

The bottom line to all this is:

An ordinance is only as strong as those that enforce it.

We either enforce the city code or we toss the damn thing out.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007) 

  _____  

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of keely emerinemix
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 2:46 PM
To: lfalen; Donovan Arnold; Tom Ivie; MoscowVision 2020
Subject: [Vision2020] discrimination and zoning (was say what?)

Noise IS covered under an ordinance; other forms of illegal behavior under
others.  And the number of people, whether contemplative monks or
hard-partying college boys, also is covered under ordinance.  Has been for
at least 15 years.  That's because -- and it really IS this simple --
renting to non-family members constitutes running a business, one that the
City has long decided is unlawful in areas zoned not for business, but for
single-family homes.  

Period.

Rocket science need not be employed here, but I would invite doubters to
remember the preschool lessons of "obey rules" and "break rules" if they're
further confused.

keely

> Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:38:43 -0700
> From: lfalen at turbonet.com
> To: donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com; the_ivies3 at yahoo.com;
vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Say What? Discrimination
> 
> It seems to me that controlling the number people that live in a house is
a round about way of getting at the "stated problem"
> If noise is the problem regulate that. If parking is a problem regulate
that. The only problem I see with the number of people living in one house
would be a potential safety problem.
> Roger
> -----Original message-----
> From: Donovan Arnold donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
> Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:57:07 -0700
> To: Tom Ivie the_ivies3 at yahoo.com, Moscow Vision 2020
vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Say What? Discrimination
> 
> > Tom Ivie,
> > 
> > Lowering the number of occupants per housing unit by law increases
demand for more apartments and housing units, driving the cost up. With
rents up even more, renters are further soaked again by limiting the number
of people they can split rent with. 
> > 
> > Moscow is a college town. Students cannot afford much more that $300
piece for rent. IF Moscow raises its rents, the number of students returning
to UI will reduce because they cannot afford to live in the city with no
jobs and unaffordable housing. Many of them will elect elsewhere to attend
like BSU, Albertson, NNU, ISU, LCSC or the new junior college in Nampa. But
this is a good move for the socialists agenda of destroying the Moscow
economy through relentless unneeded government regulation. 
> > 
> > Best,
> > 
> > Donovan
> > 
> > Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Doesn't it include a CUP process? As I understand it, and I could be
wrong, lowering the number brings Moscow more in-line with the codified
number that the majority of cities our size use. 
> > 
> > Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote: "These three people
[(Pall, Ament and Lamar)] feel that counting unrelated people in a
> > dwelling will solve noise and parking problems in residential
> > neighborhoods."
> > 
> > Mr. Busch is correct on this point. I think counting the number of
unrelated people is discriminatory. When I worked at Inclusion North there
were often several people with disabilities living in one home because they
cannot afford their own place on a $660 a month SSI check, especially in a
city like Moscow. There are many poor, disabled, and elderly people that
MUST live together in one dwelling for economic survival. This code is a raw
deal for those that are in need of affordable housing. Another example of
elitist socialists trying to make everyone live like them regardless of
their financial situations. The City Council members are saying, "Let them
eat cake", or in this case, let them live in an apartment with only two
people if they can only afford to live in an apartment with four others. 
> > 
> > And on the other side of the coin, a family of two adults with two
teenagers can be very noisy and make life for their neighbors intolerable.
Why not limit how many teenagers can live in one household, or how many
babies a single mom can have? It would be just as unfair. 
> > 
> > An unjust law, clearly invented by people living in nice homes with
secure incomes. I hope the newly elected city council will reverse this
piece of discrimination. 
> > 
> > If Moscow would allow for the building of affordable housing for what
people actually earn in Moscow we would not have 5 students or 5 people on
SSI living in one housing unit. And BTW, Moscow has more people per housing
unit then any other city in the state according the BLS. 
> > 
> > Best,
> > 
> > Donovan
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
> > In a letter to the editor of the Lewiston Tribune, published today
> > (September 16, 2007), Steve Busch suggests that "enforcing existing law
> > [Moscow Zoning Code] is all that is necessary."
> > 
> > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Comments made in a letter to the editor authored by local attorney Jack
> > Porter and published in the Sept. 12 Lewiston Tribune cannot be ignored.
On
> > Sept. 4, the current city council voted 3-2 to change Moscow's city code
in
> > an attempt to deal with a real problem. 
> > 
> > Unfortunately, the majority (Pall, Ament and Lamar) threw the baby out
with
> > the bath water. These three people feel that counting unrelated people
in a
> > dwelling will solve noise and parking problems in residential
neighborhoods.
> > 
> > 
> > The Greater Moscow Alliance feel enforcing existing law is all that is
> > necessary. We said so in a letter presented to the council on Sept. 10
(to
> > see a copy visit www.greatermoscow.org). Mr. Porter thinks this is
evidence
> > the GMA is insensitive to Moscow citizens' cherished life style. Nothing
> > could be further from the truth. GMA is working hard to educate the
public
> > about issues and candidates. 
> > 
> > I urge all Moscow voters to ask candidates for city council tough
questions.
> > Listen carefully to the answers and vote your conscience.
> > 
> > Steve Busch
> > President
> > Greater Moscow Alliance
> > Moscow
> > 
> > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Questions, Mr. Busch: How often, and how selective, should enforcement
of
> > zoning codes be enforced? Instead of amending the current code ad
nauseam
> > and allowing for conditional use permits every time somebody violates
> > "existing law", should we draw the proverbial line in the sand, much
like
> > the Raven, strongly proclaim "Ne'er more", and further demand that those
> > entities that are currently in violation of the zoning code move
elsewhere?
> > 
> > Reminder, folks!
> > http://tinyurl.com/36ghxk
> > 
> > Seeya round town, Moscow.
> > 
> > Tom Hansen
> > Moscow, Idaho
> > 
> > "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
> > students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
> > 
> > - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
> > 
> > 
> > 
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> > 
> > 
> > Tom & Liz Ivie 
> > ---------------------------------
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