Im writing to ask you to please reconsider the plan to declare three downtown parking lots as "surplus land,” so they can be developed for huge housing projects. This would give developers total control over public lots that are vital for the downtown to function effectively.
For example, businesses would be lost because of parking headaches and increased traffic issues. The high rise buildings and density of structures would virtually eliminate the charm of the downtown area.
And why have no studies or outreach been done to address these issues, plus the impact to schools, sewage systems, etc.
Surely alternative sites for affordable housing, including other city-owned land, could be located.
Jane Miller
