Monday, April 12, 2010

PC: Village Station permit; Historic Pres; CBE & North'n Gateway Updates

Dear People: First, I want to say that Village Council was not at our best last week in our meeting. I was tired and went home with a splitting headache, and our interactions between ourselves and the citizens was not always ideal. I still stand by the decisions we reached, but our processes are not, by any means, perfect. We will try to do better.

Tonight we have Planning Commission--7 pm, Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Bryan Center.

PUBLIC HEARING: Conditional Use Permit: 102 Dayton Street / 150 Railroad St., also known as "Village Station." Ted Donnell is asking us to renew a conditional use permit for this site, originally approved Oct. 8, 2007, which has expired. The plan currently submitted is identical to that approved in 2007, with the exception of minor re-routing of utilities.

OLD BUSINESS: A continued discussion of our Historic Preservation plans--which we have received a lot of good, helpful input on in our last discussion. My focus is always on public education--making sure people know what their property is and has been--and on anything we might be able to do to discourage or slow down "demolition by neglect." This is typically the biggest issue we face.

NEW BUSINESS:

* Election of Officers
* Center for Business and Education Project Update: Should be similar to the update Council received last month.
* Northern Gateway Project Update: Should be similar to the update Council received at our last meeting, but hopefully with better visual aids and a working projector.

AGENDA PLANNING:

* PUD chapter review: scheduled for our May 10th meeting.
* 5-year Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Presentation: should be similar to the CIP presentation Mark gave to Council in February, in preparation for the new budget.

....& A POEM (not quite a sonnet) ABOUT "INVOLUNTARY" PLANNING, ALMOST DREAMING, JUST SURVIVING:

kitchenette building by Gwendolyn Brooks

We are things of dry hours and the involuntary plan,
Grayed in, and gray. “Dream” makes a giddy sound, not strong
Like “rent,” “feeding a wife,” “satisfying a man.”

But could a dream send up through onion fumes
Its white and violet, fight with fried potatoes
And yesterday’s garbage ripening in the hall,
Flutter, or sing an aria down these rooms

Even if we were willing to let it in,
Had time to warm it, keep it very clean,
Anticipate a message, let it begin?

We wonder. But not well! not for a minute!
Since Number Five is out of the bathroom now,
We think of lukewarm water, hope to get in it.

Gwendolyn Brooks, “kitchenette building” from Selected Poems. Copyright © 1963 by Gwendolyn Brooks. Reprinted with the permission of the Estate of Gwendolyn Brooks.

Peace,
Lori

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