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July 24, 20012
PRESTON/VESTAL DEVELOPMENT
Statement and Notes from Neighbor’s Group
LocalConstruct’s proposed development on Vestal and Preston, while working within existing zoning laws, takes advantage of the fact that those laws are drastically out of touch with the area’s conditions. The area, characterized by steep hills and extremely limited parking, is already problematic, even without any further expansion. Accidents regularly occur on the Vestal hill, and the neighboring Baxter hill is one of the steepest in the entire state. The existing zoning laws unfortunately do not reflect this reality.
The proposed development, which includes a great expansion of vehicles and traffic, may have the following repercussions:
1. SAFETY HAZARD. Potentially significant increase of accidents on Vestal, Avalon and Baxter as result of greatly increased traffic on steep and blind hills.
2. JEOPARDIZED EMERGENCY ACCESS. Emergency vehicle access will be compromised by increased traffic flow.
3. PARKING CONGESTION. Without viable on-site guest parking for development, current residents may be forced to park blocks away from their homes due to visitors to development.
4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. Natural environment destroyed and/or impaired.
LocalConstruct has made it clear that the laws are in their favor, and they need not do anything to address these problems. However they have agreed to discussions with the current residents. To this end, they have requested the residents to provide a list of priorities which they would like to see addressed. The following represents our position, and a group of over 100 signatories.
It is the position of the residents that certain safety-related strategies should not be viewed as “concessions” by LocalConstruct, but rather as the bare minimum mandated by standards of decency. For that reason, we are listing as priorities only those things that would most help address the issues at hand: Less units and increased parking.
We are supplementing that list with a second list of “non-concession requests” which should be a part of any plan, in any system that holds human safety and reasonable living conditions as an inalienable right.
PRESTON/VESTAL DEVELOPMENT
Requests and Suggestions from Neighbor’s Group
PRIORITY REQUESTS
1. LESS UNITS (HIGHEST PRIORITY!!) OUR GOAL: 10 units.
2. LOCAL CONSTRUCT PROVIDE VIABLE ON-SITE PARKING FOR DEVELOPMENT’S GUESTS. (HIGH PRIORITY!)
Note that for number #2 above, it is normally a requirement by law to include on-site guest parking. We only list it here because LocalConstruct has discussed seeking a waiver, so as to avoid this requirement. It is our position that a reduction in units would enable creation of both a green area for development residents, and additional guest parking. We ask that LocalConstruct design a plan that implements these suggestions, alongside the “stacked” guest parking they have proposed (which on its own would be insufficient and present traffic/safety problems.)
“NON-CONCESSION” SUGGESTIONS
The following are viewed as “common sense” items that we believe should be instituted, and not viewed as “concessions” by LocalConstruct.
1. Reasonable/safe conditions during construction period:
- pollution/particulate safety, asbestos avoidance, etc.
- reasonable limits to noise/working hours
- avoidance of road blockages
2. Right turn only from exit
3. Mirror and/or light at top of hill
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36 - 40 more cars will not only impact Vestal, Preston and Baxter, but also other surrounding streets.
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