Kyle Cassidy wrote:
There are many opinions, but few choices. ... That's the only choice, zoning variance or no zoning variance.
yes, that's how I see it: we get to have opinions on choices we don't shape.
Liz Campion wrote:
Luckily, drastic changes, such as Zoning Changes, require player to reveal a few 'cards'. This permits neighbors to investigate, comment and negotiate toward desired goals of a better community through foresight. ... Among the opportunities is a chance to PLAN the highest and best use of properties. ... We, as citizens, have every right to investigate changes in USE and ZONING.
yes, I agree. there are lots of considerations in a question about rezoning. but you won't hear about these in the press. the way the press has framed it, we have only one choice to make (rezoning/not-rezoning) and two basic opinions (religious vs business). we're portrayed as a reactive 'community divided', not as a pro-active community deciding, creating many choices or alternatives besides rezoning/not-rezoning.
this resembles the dock street story -- one choice (to rezone or not), between 2 sides (a church and a business). meanwhile other opinions (of vendors or customers), other choices (besides rezoning) were not part of that story. and yet dock street's installation, in the end, was celebrated as a kind of triumph of community engagement, as a revitalization of the community.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Of greater concern is how better to potentate this listserv as an engine for more democratic beneficial community development. Apparently, the listserv membership is yet interested in gathering verifiable facts about the two properties and knowledgeably analyzing the projects as real estate development opportunities.
yes, I agree. the decision-making about the liquor store move looks more like divide and conquer than community building. which is a shame. it seems our voices are only being used against one another to say yea or nay about a choice not of our making or knowledge, when we could instead be using our voices to determine what these choices are in the first place. and I think until we do that, the press should stop portraying all this as a 'community' thing.
in any event, we shall see how the press continues this story. the zoning board hearing which had been scheduled for 28 feb is now march 21 (tomorrow).
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