The mayor was there.
As well as Sterling Beck, our council representative.
Also in attendance (not pictured) were municipal council members Sherrie Hall Everett (YAY!) and Cynthia Dayton (Yahoo!) Those two get cheers because they were the only votes against this:
What is that? A house in my neighborhood with its ENTIRE back yard newly paved. The new city wide ordinance doesn't require any green space around homes. Legally 40% of impervious surface can be used for parking and the rest can be paved for hopscotch! (But really people would be "accidentally" using the hopscotch area for parking, don't you think?)
Back to the three hour long meeting in Sus's garden...The Mayor encouraged my neighbors' passion and told us that most concerned citizens enthusiasm for a cause is "a flash in the pan".* Not us! There is too much at stake!
After the meeting Council member Sterling Beck asked a group of us to please redirect our energies into saving individual historic homes such as the beautiful Taylor house which is about to be torn down (ouch!) Sorry, but in the long run forever changing the character of our city by allowing parking lots at every residence is WAY MORE IMPORTANT and would especially grossly deteriorate our pioneer neighborhoods which have already been prey to bad policy for way too many years. Also, no one can understand WHY Sterling won't listen to his constituents. WHO is winning in this? Maybe the rental property manager who spoke during the public comment period at the council meeting? That one property manager guy is winning? over all the horrified neighborhood chairs and citizens who spoke during the public comment? (btw, sterling has supported some great causes in other votes, thanks sterling!)
If you would like to sign an online petition asking our council to reconsider please go here.
To read why Council member Sherrie Hall Everett (WOOT!) voted against the ordinance change go here.
And this is a movie made with love by the Joaquin neighborhood chair.
*And....us a flash in the pan? Nope.
Here are a bunch of my neighbors and their kids at the Children's Parade wearing our cool t-shirts, holding banners, throwing candy, and passing out fliers.
xo,
quel
All above pictures were taken by Brad Barber except for the awful asphalt picture which was taken by wonderful Bonnie Callis.
