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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPA2017-228 Comment 15_04222019_ElaineFrom: elaine7313@gmail.com Sent: Monday, April 22, 2019 4:04 PM To: Zdeba, Benjamin Subject: Ford Road Apartments/Condos Hello, I understand you are collecting public comment on the proposed development next to the AT&T switch. Our family would like to comment. We strongly believe the City should not compromise on OUR long term planning efforts for recreational resources. It’s bad enough having the switch in the middle or the park. We should be planning how to convert the switch to public space if ever decommissioned, not diluting the benefits of the space we have. Our family lives on Port Carlow at the other end of the Port Streets, and we use the park next to the site for walking, pickle ball,Girl Scout activities, and the playground. We are familiar with the site. First and foremost, we object to changing the zoning away from public facilities. It is increasingly difficult to assemble a large parcel for public use. The City is pretty much built out so this challenge will only intensify. Our citizenry has already invested significant amounts in infrastructure to support public facilities here at the site including restrooms, parking, extensive landscaping, and trails. Our public good should not be diverted to financially benefit a private developer or provide a windfall profit to a telecom. Of course any developer would love to plop down a dense project with inadequate parking and no green space of its own essentially on top of a lovely public park with nice parking! This is not only overbuilding the site but also taking an important benefit from the public. This project would not even be marketable if it weren’t on top of the landscaping and parking of an exceptional public park. It has no grounds of its own to speak of and grossly inadequate parking. If it were to be built, the setback landscaping must be dramatically increased, as well as parking. The current plan would need to be at least cut in half as it is totally inconsistent with the homes essentially across the street. Can you imagine building apartments on a corner of Central Park? That’s what this is. This is not a site that has been waiting for private development. It has been waiting for a PUBLIC USE. We should respect the zoning and either preserve the natural features of the site or purchase the site for other public use. There is no question that the trees there now compliment the overall park. As our homes are closer and closer together, we have fewer trees and must preserve them. Those trees greatly enhance the park and trails, and are an important buffer against both the busy street/intersection, and the AT&T switch that will remain and be more visible. An apartment is not a buffer against a windowless building -that claim makes no sense if you know the site. Frankly, AT&T should be required to maintain he natural site as a buffer or sell it to the City. Those should be the only options, as envisioned by our City Plan. We should not compromise on the longterm planning efforts for our City recreational resource. It’s bad enough having the switch in the middle or the park. We should be planning more public space, not diluting the benefits of the space we have. A huge MF building looming over the park will take away from the natural and peaceful setting and, inevitably, increase pressure on our public infrastructure. It is also VERY close to the playground and will likely ultimately be used as rentals, clearly less than ideal so close to a playground for children. Too close. Let’s capitalize on our City’s infrastructure investment in our parks. Please Preserve our Parks and natural features. AT&T will never offer the property to the City at a reasonable price if they believe it may get rezoned. We must send a clear message that the site is part of a much larger city recreational complex and will NOT be rezoned.