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CORRESPONDENCE TO THE INFILL EMAIL LIST The Infill Email List From: "Mary Baskin Waters" mbwaters@infionline.net Subject: RE: 9/5 Staff Memo RE: Interim Measures Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2007 16:04:13 -0400 September 5, 2007 Mr. Mayor, Honorable members of Council, Good Morning. My name is Mary Baskin Waters, Co-President along with Sam Waters, of the Heathwood Neighborhood Association. Before you are issues of land in subdivisions within the city limits of Columbia which are by and large no longer subject to any subdivision restrictions or covenants. That leaves only the minimal protections of city ordinances, which have not been reviewed or changed in approximately 30 years. The specific issues relate to demolition of residential structures, subdivisions of existing residential lots and in-fill development in built out areas, and the effect of historic designation on future development. The indiscriminate demolition of historic homes around Columbia replaced with in-fill developments of non-conforming structures is creating an unacceptable situation in many of our neighborhoods. It is our position that development within existing subdivisions is appropriate where there are reasonable controls - beyond the minimum requirements of the current ordinances - to preserve the aesthetic charter of the affected neighborhoods. To await official historical designation by the city for such protection takes not months but years, and is an inefficient way of dealing with the larger question of reasonable land use regulations for existing Columbia neighborhoods. It has become necessary for the city to implement controls and guidelines on the demolition or removal of homes and the re-subdivision of lots in our neighborhood. We support the following recommendations:
From: Jay Graham jgraha28@bellsouth.net Subject: RE: 9/5 Staff Memo RE: Interim Measures Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2007 16:38:24 -0400 Honorable Mayor and Council Members and all concerned citizens------As I suggested at council meeting-less than 1% -probably less than half a percent-have been demolished in Heathwood, Shandon, Wales Garden, Rosewood or Melrose...I urge council to be very careful because most of the lots in these areas that cound be sold and built on-I suggest at least 90% of the Shandon Wales Garden, Heathwood lots-probably more than 90%-are already sold,closed and built on....Council says they want North Columbia to be revitalized in the future and these new guidlines will affect North Columbia's future much more than Heathwood, Shandon and other near by areas....A Council appointed committe to approve what is "aesthetic" should concern you....Does the potential buyer have a say in how his home will be? What unintended results might evolve from this committe? Jay Graham From: Jay Graham jgraha28@bellsouth.net Subject: RE: Staff Report from 8/15 Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:58:38 -0400 Dear Mr Anders and Ms. Moore-I'm Jay Graham-Realtor-29 years-working in town Columbia property..I was at the last council meeting and have read all posted comments and have a few ideas to ad...In Shandon, Wales Garden, Rosewood, and Melrose-in the past 10 years or so-I estimate well over 90%-maybe 95% of the city zoned vaccant lots have already been bought, closed, built on and now owner occupied...As for past and future tear downs I estimate less than 1% has been torn down with tear downs unlikley on the vast majority of these homes in the future......Council is considering putting a "committe" to approve new construction or tear downs in the historical or applied for historical neighborhoods....Shandon and surrounding areas have mainly been done-the cake is baked-as I suggest the potential lots have almost been done deal.....Which brings me to Council member Tameica's question: what if this "committee" makes it so diffucult beyond what zoning already requirs that buyers just go elsewhere? My final point is that the North Main St.-Eau Claire-Keenan Terrace-Earlwood-Columbia College area is where the next re-developement part of Columbia is-as this is clearly where the most lots are left......Mayor Bob has said N. Columbia-they want to enhance this area-funds are now set up for this I believe....My question? Are some of us fighting against the very thing we are screaming out for? Is Tameika's concern valid? From: Rhett Anders RhettAnders@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 4:49 PM Subject: Re: Staff Report from 8/15 Marc, Have any of the following been discussed with staff? 1. Exemption of major corridors that line designated districts (North Main, Rosewood, Bull Street, Millwood, Etc.)? Seems that some single family homes on these major streets would be functionally obsolete and may create blight and is not "highest and best use". 2. Modern Design with-in districts? If the guidelines had been in place years ago we might not have the "Robot House" on Forest Drive or the Mcgee-Degenhart House on Harden St.. While Disney-esque copies of bungalows are sometimes nice, that is not the only design vernacular in the world. Has The Columbia Design League been consulted? 3. Have any of the findings from the "affordable housing task force" been considered and put into possible solutions? They should be a major voice in this. 4. Has staff discuss the possibility of Easing the requirement of "50 years" to maybe say 80 years and a "spot zoning designation" structures deemed worthy by Historic Columbia from the 1930's thru the 1970's. To me, a fifty year window means we could lose several great examples of 1950, 60's and 70's architecture (tomorrows history). The article you included I think perfectly touches on the problems here. How do we protect homes of historical significance in Shandon, Heathwood, Elmwood Park while not shutting down redevelopment in North Columbia. Would the small, post war homes on the back side of Rosewood (and elsewhere) be placed into preservation districts? (I think we along North Main we have four neighborhoods that would qualify for Historic Designation - Seminary Ridge, Windemere Springs, Hyatt Park and College Place). Thanks, Rhett Anders President Windemere Springs N.A. |