HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-07-2008 Planning and Zoning Commission
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From: Mark Cannon [Cannon.Mark@iccsd.k12.ia.us]
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 1 :48 PM
To: PlanningZoningPublic
Subject: Rezoning in Miller-Orchard Neighborhod
Dear Planning and Zoning Committee Members,
First, thanks for the opportunity I had to address you in the July meeting. Since we met, Ike, Mary
Knudson and I met to discuss the plan further. We spent time walking the property with Ike at my request. In
spite of all the plans which he presented, I was unable to get a good feel for what the property would 'feel like' in
our neighborhood until we walked the property and had an opportunity to ask questions and have a more in-depth
conversation
After spending the time to do this, I continue to have the concern that the density would greatly 'stress' our
neighborhood in the ways that I discussed at the July meeting. In our informal discussion with Ike, I stressed that
I can not accept the thought that this will be housing for low income families. All of the information I have
reviewed continues to lead me to believe that this would become student and absentee landlord property. I
suggested to Ike that rather than continue to suggest that this would be low income housing, it might be more
prudent to bill this as a 'higher end' development with lower density than he is proposing. He could then market to
university people and others who want to be closer to downtown. As I thought through this, it is not more low
income housing that our neighborhood needs. We have much of that type of property in our neighborhood. A
well-thought out, 'new urban housing' approach ( I'm not sure if I've used the correct terminology but I'm referring
to some of the dynamics which were incorporated in the peninsula buildings), higher end development might
signal that our neighborhood has been injected with some new life.
I look forward to continuing this discussion at our next meeting. Mary Knudson and I are committed to
having an ongoing discussion with the City Planners and the business leaders in the properties on South
Riverside to explore creative ways to make our neighborhood one that is moving in positive directions.
Mark Cannon
706 Miller Avenue
8/1/2008