I have tried calling Colin Vasquez, senior land use planner for the city of Seattle many times. It seems that he is quite attentive to land developers while leaving the protesting homeowners and local business owners in the dark.
I sent this same letter to Council member Sally Clark, however it was "screened" by her assistant as she may become "impartial" if she hears from the homeowners directly. I find it interesting that the very people, Seattle City Council, who supposedly work in the best interest of the people, do not seem to want to hear from those people in regard to zoning. The idea that the City Council needs to maintain a level of impartiality at the end of this process, when none was shown during the process, is most telling.
While approving the contract re-zone may not be a "democratic process" as Vasquez was quoted in the Magnolia News (No support for project near Magnolia Village 4/2/08), I am quite interested in finding out who is monitoring his "checks & balances" so that we can begin a dialogue with him/her. As home/business owners in the area - we have no voice with the city.
There are a number of reasons why this rezone is bad for our neighborhood aside from the obvious - changing the integrity and fiber of a single-family-home neighborhood. With the "right turn only" on the way out of the proposed complex, the increased traffic on 32nd West and onto Condon Way will be great. At this time it is quite dangerous getting in and out of the Bartell's parking lot as cars travel very fast from Clise Place onto 32nd, and the visibility is poor due to the cars parked along the street.
We can barely get a parking place in front of our own home right now due to no parking in Magnolia Village. All of us would like to be able to park in front of our home. I know for a fact that these are people who work at Bartell and HairMasters as they are told they cannot park in their parking lot. As a customer, I can also confirm that there is rarely parking for us, either. What will be done about parking in the Village so that the homeowners in the neighborhood of the proposed development can park on the street where they live?
What will be done about the increased traffic onto Condon Way? At this time, once cars come around the corner of McGraw/Condon, they step on it as it is five full blocks before a stop sign. All of us on this street have small children. Visibility is poor due to bumper-to-bumper cars parked here (normally left here for nine hours at a time while they are working in the Village). This doesn't even take into account all the large trucks that will be using our street during construction -- which is really bad as the street is narrow.
There is a lot of acreage in Magnolia that can be developed in multi-family zoned neighborhoods. All along Thorndyke Avenue West and Dravus Street is not only already zoned for it but needs some new development badly. Adding townhouses to these areas would really clean up the neighborhood and breathe new life into multi-family zoned areas. Why destroy the nature of a single-family-home neighborhood? For the sake of what?
I think we need to start a "Save Magnolia Village" campaign. Basically the cumulative effect of Tim McHugh's townhouses and the proposed new townhouses will not only drive people away from the shopping in the Village, it will have a have a huge adverse effect on the city with decreased tax revenues from businesses and decreased home values
Something must be done about this and fast. I certainly hope I hear back from someone soon.
- Lisa Hoonan
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