INC NEWS - Let's give it a chance. Let's see what can be improved & work to make it better...

[RW Pickle]

Exactly. And the point I was making is that this adds yet another layer to
the development process that seems useless at best. If the Planning
Commission isn't doing their job, and our elected officials aren't doing
their job, then how is it going to be possible to believe than anyone
else, no matter what you call them, would do theirs either? Three wrongs
won't make it right.

There's already a great number of citizens in the loop here. And to say
that all these citizens (THOSE ON/IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE PLANNING
COMMISSION, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS) aren't looking out for neighborhoods
and the citizens of Durham would just be wrong. Sometimes the citizens can
be wrong and those bodies mentioned above show us. The DBAP is a good
example. As citizens, we voted not to fund the building of it. Yet our
leaders decided it was a good thing to do. Last week when I was there for
a game, it sure looked like a good idea to me. The place was almost full.

Like Pat said, the Planning Department deals in specifics; the guidelines
we have established for all the development we do. They don't get the
luxury of making it up as they go; it's written in stone and practiced
that way. I'll send out some amendments later tonight where others want to
change this or that. I forward these as I get them and they're available
online as well at the planning Department website. What/if any thing is
said one way or the other by citizens regarding the changes is really up
to anyone who feels like the change is necessary. I ask for an amendment
last year and it failed to make it through the process. So just because
someone thinks it's a good idea doesn't mean others think it is. And
that's what the process is all about. Developers don't make up the rules,
they have to develop within the guidelines that are currently established.

I think it would do those who think the process is flawed to do some
development themselves and just see first-hand what it's all about. It's
easy to be an armchair quarterback, but it's those in the game who really
make the calls... We won't decide this issue over list server banter.
It'll take a whole lot more just to even get the idea off the ground. Do
we need a neighborhood advocate (or whatever they will be called)? Like I
said in the last email, organizing neighborhoods would be the best
advocacy system we could have.

RWP
27 Beverly


> The point I'm trying to make (again) is we don't know
> what final form the Neighborhood Advocate will take.
>
> And won't know until getting input from community
> members, elected officials, staff and others (well
> beyond this listserv).
>
> Frankly, I'm not going get into a tit-for-tat over
> questions that are red herrings...
>