I agree, Frank. The offer to meet Karen, Karen and ONLY Karen over a cup of coffee to explain his proposal, seems a bit disingenuous with regard to informing the community at large.
One one hand it suggests that everyone else in the community had already been advised of this proposal, understood and agreed with it. However, Karen is so dense (even as a member of UCHS), she has to have it explained to her one-on-one. Urban proposal tutoring perhaps? One the other hand, it appears on the surface to be an attempt to influence or even somehow buy Karen¹s approval, in order to neutralize a UCHS member whom I suppose in her way, is trying to stand up for the mission of the organization to which she belongs. Apparently, she believes in the organization¹s mission and wants to defend it. Either way, it does not replace a good old-fashioned open meeting to discuss the proposal to the community by making it a personal approval matter. On 11/11/07 9:57 PM, "Frank" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It would be even more novel if the developer were as upfront and honest in > public as he wants people to think he is in one-on-one conversation. If he > were, we would all *know* about his plans already and not have to guess. I > could be wrong. Maybe *all* developers prefer to meet everyone in the > neighborhood separately over coffee instead of making their plans more > traditionally "public." I doubt it, though. > > I don't know the developer and have only formed an opinion about him from his > behavior around this project which is far from stellar. If I don't want an > 11-story hotel 1/2 block from me it has nothing to do with my personal > feelings about a developer, trust me. > > > Frankus > Sleek. Edgy. Infinitely flexible. > > > > On Nov 11, 2007, at 09:14 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> In a message dated 11/11/07 8:23:35 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> >>> ....Critics of this proposal must acquaint >>> themselves with these plans before they launch into the business of >>> finding fault with them..... >>> >> >> Oh, Tony, what a novel idea! Has this ever happened, in the history of >> listserv crankiness? >> >> For those who say they didn't have the opportunity to learn more, look at >> what happened when Tom Lussenhop offered to explain his plans to Karen Allen >> over a cup of coffee! She wrote: <<I told him no, and to never write to me >> again. For the record, I don't drink coffee, I don't like him, and I >> definitely don't discuss community business in back rooms. >> >> >> What will that response teach developers about the usefulness of offering to >> give out the details of their plans? >> >> And, what happens when people with one opinion try earnestly to engage in a >> listserv conversation with people of a different opinion? When Karen >> complained that no one was willing to respond to the questions she'd raised, >> I offered to enter into a discussion, cautioning that <<...if you truly want >> to hear another viewpoint, I'll be happy to share mine. This isn't personal >> - it's only in response to your request for other points of view.>> >> >> In my reply to her points, writing about the community association zoning >> process which Karen and I both understand pretty well since we sit on a >> zoning committee, I wrote <<...community zoning committees generally respect >> the wishes of the nearby neighbors when taking positions on new >> development....At some point, to have the local community association impose >> its will on a site, in absence of complaint from the neighbors, would seem >> inappropriate. To have you and me, as busybodies from the next neighborhood >> over, impose our will on the project seems even more problematic.>> >> >> Which Karen "spun," a few days later, to read <<... I knew I'd be attacked >> for not living in Spruce Hill, like Melani Lamond's attack in her recent >> email calling me a "busybody from the next neighborhood over".>> >> >> Listserv writers tend to have already formed their opinions when they hear >> WHO is involved in a plan. As I wrote earlier, I don't think their support >> or opposition has much to do with the merits of the proposal; it has more to >> do with the identity of the players. That's too bad. We'd work better for >> the good of the neighborhood if we could work for the greater good, rather >> than fight because we aren't the best of friends. >> >> - Melani Lamond >> >> >> >> >> Melani Lamond, Associate Broker >> Urban & Bye, Realtor >> 3529 Lancaster Ave. >> Philadelphia, PA 19104 >> cell phone 215-356-7266 >> office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 >> office fax 215-222-1101 >> >> >> ************************************** >> See what's new at http://www.aol.com > >
