Kind Regards,

Leah Rounds & Dave Justice

WeCAN Co-Presidents

                

• The members appreciate the bike/pedestrian connections through the proposed site along Meade and applaud that a vehicular thoroughfare was not created.
• The members appreciated the intent of the developer to create affordable housing on site. However, members expressed a need for more diverse affordable housing, ranging from homeless housing to affordable for-sale housing and to integrate that housing into a cohesive design. The current design of segregated affordable for-rent (to workforce level mostly) and no affordable for-sale housing in separate buildings runs contrary to these values. Further, it was important to the group to diversify access to and views of the lake from affordable housing units.
• Members desired more neighborhood amenities and open space to activate the street and increase the quality of life of residents. To remain consistent with the spirit of the current PUD (health-care campus), some health- and wellness-related services would be much appreciated.
• The members wished to minimize the impact of traffic on the neighborhood through better parking design by incorporating parking into the respective buildings to promote convenience of parking on-site, rather than a separate parking garage. Further, more thought should be put into the design of ingress and egress of the property to prevent congestion.
• The members were concerned about the use of tax increment financing (TIF) in creating long-term unaffordability due to property tax burden, as well as subtracting revenue from crucial public services, such as schools. The members encourage the developer to consider other revenue sources to accomplish affordability objectives.
• The proposed height is inconsistent with the context of the surrounding neighborhood, with a density greater than allowed in the current PUD. The members wish for the developer to accomplish the above objectives in buildings of lower heights.