Power to the People!
Back in March, I blogged about a bad community housing project going up near my neighborhood. This past Thursday, Nicki and some of our "activist neighbors" went before the Napa Planning Commission to present their opposition to the project. As reported by the local Napa paper, the Planning Commission was empathetic to our position and effectively delayed the project for the year in order to research alternatives.
A few of the salient quotes from the article...
A few of the salient quotes from the article...
Commissioners again sided with neighbors who said the proposed three-story building is too tall and 30 apartments too dense for a one-acre parcel near their one-story homes.
Commission Chair Michelle Benvenuto took the developer, Napa Valley Community Housing, to task for not being willing to shrink the number of units.
“It’s so obvious that this project does not fit the neighborhood,” said Benvenuto, who favored a two-story cap as residents had requested.
“The neighbors feel a three-story monster is being crammed down their throat” ... and they’re right, Commissioner Gordon Huether said.
Benvenuto said the problem is that the housing non-profit paid too much for the property at 535 Coombsville Road, then asked the neighborhood to live with their mistake.
“We screwed up and now we’re going to sue you,” said Benvenuto, alluding to the pressure on the city to comply with state affordable housing dictates.
Neighbors strenuously objected. They presented a model showing the proposed apartments dwarfing their homes like a cruise ship among dinghies.
Even though he supports the housing project, Commissioner Basayne agreed that “the traffic situation is abhorrent and a threat to that neighborhood.”
Now we have to find a lawyer to help us.. probably a good land use attorney.Commission Chair Michelle Benvenuto took the developer, Napa Valley Community Housing, to task for not being willing to shrink the number of units.
“It’s so obvious that this project does not fit the neighborhood,” said Benvenuto, who favored a two-story cap as residents had requested.
“The neighbors feel a three-story monster is being crammed down their throat” ... and they’re right, Commissioner Gordon Huether said.
Benvenuto said the problem is that the housing non-profit paid too much for the property at 535 Coombsville Road, then asked the neighborhood to live with their mistake.
“We screwed up and now we’re going to sue you,” said Benvenuto, alluding to the pressure on the city to comply with state affordable housing dictates.
Neighbors strenuously objected. They presented a model showing the proposed apartments dwarfing their homes like a cruise ship among dinghies.
Even though he supports the housing project, Commissioner Basayne agreed that “the traffic situation is abhorrent and a threat to that neighborhood.”
Comments