April 30, 2014

 

Entering the End Game

 

Dear fellow congregant,

 

A lot has happened since the last P&Z meeting. At this moment, we don't know exactly how it will play out at the May 6 meeting, but it will be unusually interesting and important.

 

First, thank you to all the congregants who came to the last meeting.  Your presence was an important reminder to the Commission that our opponents' voices are not the only voices.  GRS needs you there again on Tuesday-please attend. 

 

A highlight of the upcoming meeting will be a PowerPoint presentation by architect Mark Thompson, showing the evolution of the project, the current state of the design, and the outcomes of meetings with the abutting neighbors.

 

Yes, meetings with the abutting neighbors! The ice has been broken and several meetings have taken place, both in a group setting and individually on their properties.  Bottom line, the concerns of neighbors as they relate to their individual properties have been satisfactorily addressed.  How that will play out at the meeting remains to be seen.   Discussions continue.

 

We believe that we will have demonstrated that we have done everything that the Commission has asked of us, and we have done all that can be reasonably expected.  Given that our project meets all applicable zoning requirements, our case is strong.

 

This may not be the final P&Z meeting, but we are clearly in the endgame.  Most of you have not seen the current design, so I think you will find Mark's presentation interesting; importantly, your presence speaks volumes. 

 

Best regards,

Robert Birnbaum