Has issued a 10 point Summary of its goals.
They appear in Bold below, followed by my comments.
1. The community supports the continuing development of Downtown and wants it to be done on a human scale and at moderate, not high, density.
The community? Who says they speak for the community? I think High Density would be a good idea.
2. The community backs mixed-use development throughout Downtown.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
3. The community wants new housing units to be affordable for a wide cross-section of people.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
4. The community rejects the proposed major increase in traffic congestion and resulting deterioration of our quality of life.
I don't think any one has proposed a "major increase in traffic congestion and resulting deterioration of our quality of life." An inadequate plan, perhaps.
5. The community wants to move about safely and conveniently by foot, bicycle, auto, mobility devices, and mass transit.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
6. The community desires Downtown to have a wide variety of civic, cultural, and entertainment, amenities.
Who doesn't?
7. The community recognizes the Lakefront as the heart of Columbia and wants it to be protected against overdevelopment.
I agree. But overdevelopment is in the eye of the beholder.
8. The community considers Symphony Woods and the Merriweather Post Pavilion as Columbia’s “Central Park” area, deserving of special consideration.
I agree.
9. The community expresses strong support for implementing sound environmental practices in future development.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
10. The community is intent on continuing to be actively engaged in decisions concerning their Columbia – the Next America.
Columbia happened, something else is next. ;-)
1 comment:
1. The community supports the continuing development of Downtown and wants it to be done on a human scale and at moderate, not high, density.
The community? Who says they speak for the community? I think High Density would be a good idea.
Yes, the word community should be replaced by "Coalition" to be more accurate. Or perhaps "The Coalition believes the community...".
2. The community backs mixed-use development throughout Downtown.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
Again, replace community with "Coalition" or "The Coalition believes...".
3. The community wants new housing units to be affordable for a wide cross-section of people.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
Besides requiring a percentage of new housing be affordable, some kind of impact fee could also be collected and then used throughout the County for acquiring existing housing at affordable sums, too.
4. The community rejects the proposed major increase in traffic congestion and resulting deterioration of our quality of life.
I don't think any one has proposed a "major increase in traffic congestion and resulting deterioration of our quality of life." An inadequate plan, perhaps.
Read the County-paid transportation consultants' report. As one of its recommendations, it does profer increasing traffic to the point of congestion as a means to build public support for substantial public expenditures for mass transit.
5. The community wants to move about safely and conveniently by foot, bicycle, auto, mobility devices, and mass transit.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
Assuming that high density is necessary to afford mass transit is wrong. More affordable mass transit exists than Metro and light rail, affordable to the point that current population density is sufficient.
6. The community desires Downtown to have a wide variety of civic, cultural, and entertainment, amenities.
Who doesn't?
Town Center *already has* a wide variety of civic, cultural, and entertainment activities: Merriweather, the Smith Theatre, the Rouse Theatre, movie theaters, performances at the central library, entertainment at the lakefront, the Columbia Arts Festival, Wine in the Woods. Open your eyes and ears.
7. The community recognizes the Lakefront as the heart of Columbia and wants it to be protected against overdevelopment.
I agree. But overdevelopment is in the eye of the beholder.
Lakefront development continues to slowly encroach on the Lake, extending the dock to now be a boardwalk, extending the path further to the other side, and floated plans for a bridge spanning it at NoManIsAnIsland, running a roadway either in or immediately adjacent to sensitive environmental areas at the Lake's southern end, and a Metro link that would terminate just south of the Rouse Building.
Can't the beauty of the Lake remain unobliterated from the efforts of some to either exploit or constantly exert just a little more control over nature?
8. The community considers Symphony Woods and the Merriweather Post Pavilion as Columbia’s “Central Park” area, deserving of special consideration.
I agree.
Central Park is overdeveloped. Symphony Woods should remain that - woods. It doesn't need a portion gobbled up to support a massive traffic circle at LPP and South Entrance ringed by "culture". It doesn't need its forest floor decimated with a promenade from inside the Mall ring encroaching into it with paved surfaces, brickwork, fountains, etc. Nor does it need an ice rink dead concrete surface, used only a small portion of the year, consuming living forest floor for the entirety of the year. Shame.
9. The community expresses strong support for implementing sound environmental practices in future development.
I agree. Although goal No. 1 makes this harder to achieve.
How does goal No. 1 obstruct goal No. 9?
10. The community is intent on continuing to be actively engaged in decisions concerning their Columbia – the Next America.
Columbia happened, something else is next. ;-)
Columbia can and should continue. Concrete? No thanks.
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