July 19, 2008
Rezoning Meeting/Green Drinks at Built Gallery
This past Thursday I went to Green Drinks at Built Gallery. I forgot about a Cary Street rezoning meeting held at the William Byrd Community House, but then as King I have already made the neighborhood’s position clear- we STILL support urban business rezoning for Cary and Belvidere streets and its ridiculous that it has not been rezoned yet. Thankfully, other citizens were there at the meeting to re-emphasize their convictions. Yet what is the response? The City had plenty of representation at the meeting and I heard they got an earful but were still reluctant (the quote I heard was “weird”) to answer the basic question of why rezoning has not moved forward. Something smells and frankly Oregon Hill is tired of the stink. I was glad to hear that City Council candidate Mark Brandon attended the meeting so he could experience the situation first hand.
I was told Marty Jewell said regarding development and extra stories for a prospective apartment development within the intended rezoning area: “sometimes the extra height is necessary for the good of the development”. A neighbor reminded him that it wasnt what was good for the development that mattered most but what was best for the neighborhood. When will E. Martin Jewell, illustrious Councilman for the 5th district, get a clue that it is indeed what is best for the neighborhoods of the 5th district that really is the most important issue? He seems resolute to always strive for what is worst for the neighborhoods when he gets involved at all or when his vote is needed. What was the reason for this meeting anyway? they had already announced that the proposed rezoning had been scrapped from the planning commission agenda. Letters of endorsement have long been sent in from the neighborhood association and certain property owners on Cary. This truly does stink and is indicative of our broken government which you can help fix in November by electing a new Councilman.