"I ask that everyone now consider where we are, for that is more important at the moment then how we got here. The important point is what we do with what we have learned. A healthy discussion and debate can enrich a community as long as it is civil in tone and respectful of differences of opinion. I'm confident that our community is up to the task."
I think that the community showed Barry that we are up to the task tonight. Our neighbors spoke overwhelmingly against the hotel project this evening. Our neighbors made excellent challenges to the data, misinformation, and process used by the developers. The zoning committee saw that area residents are not the easily fooled wild animals, we are so often portrayed as. Our neighbors stood up for our community and those of you not at the large assembly should know how well your neighbors; your fellow citizens stood up for all of us tonight. But the huge question remains, are the Spruce Hill Civic Association leaders able to conduct themselves responsibly in this community? The zoning committee was asked repeatedly to represent the wishes of people in this community and immediately reject this hotel proposal. But it would seem that the SHCA is going to stick to its guns. The overwhelming rejection of the hotel by our neighbors tonight is irrelevant. The usual process of the zoning committee will continue unabated. The committee will proceed secretly from this point forward. It is the decision of the anointed members of the SHCA to decide whether the community supports or opposes the plan. The community spoke out forcefully but with more civility than either the developers or the SHCA deserved. But now, what are we going to do about this continuous attempt to deny us a voice in our community; this continuous attempt to defend secret unannounced meetings; this process in which we must always catch deception while we are condescendingly lectured on civility? The defense of SHCA unannounced "public" meetings is absurd. One neighbor asked the committee and SHCA to recuse itself from the ZBA process if it is not capable of responding to the community. To allow the Woodland Tr neighbors or others to present the opposition of this community if SHCA cannot. If the Spruce Hill Civic Association cannot conduct itself responsibly, we must come together as a community, like we did tonight to reject this outrage, and take the appropriate actions to take the fate of our community away from this tiny SHCA gang. Well done neighbors! Glenn
