05-14-29 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING May 14, 2018 special. Something different and something workable and, perhaps, a model for our Country. I'm not one (1)to wring my hands and say our community is not up to the task or that a problem is too big.We've found a way, as a Council,to try to make a petition in our community next to a neighbor work. An office next to an office. This petitioner's request fits the plan, it enhances the neighborhood, it will increase property values, it is an investment of over $750,000 year one (1). Its services are needed as well as the services of its neighbor. It does match the current conditions. It is an office area next to commercial and they have appropriately included elements that will retain the residential character despite it being an office on that given parcel of land. We should vote to override this Mayoral veto as a Council. Councilmember Dr. David Varner stated,Yeah,I think the purpose of the five(5)criteria is so that we can make decisions that are based on facts and not based on emotion. If you reduce this to fact, there is a node on the West Side of town, on Lincoln Way West, which has within its design and its intended use, a parcel of land. That parcel of land is intended to be Office-Buffer. It is not intended to be anything heavily commercial. It is understood it will not be residential in the future. So what you have is a request for an Office-Buffer from an organization that may have disagreements with the people next door,but that is no reason to deny them the right to utilize that piece of property following the criteria the way they have. I voted in favor of it two (2)weeks ago and I will vote again in favor of it. I find myself a bit concerned of the purpose of the Area Plan Commission or the Council if we can't have any faith in our decision for the Mayor to veto a decision like this. I guess all of our decisions in the future are going to have to have at least six(6) votes or it's potentially going to be vetoed. I think that is a disservice that drew us into an elongated process that hopefully, one (1) way or the other, ends toni ht. I will continue to vote in favor of the rezoning request. Councilmember Sharon L. McBride stated, I appreciate and respect all of my colleagues' different perspectives. However,this is not personally or politically motivated. I am the novice of the group and based on the criteria I was given when I first came onto the Council, I definitely beg to differ with my colleagues about it. Whether it was a Joe Blow or not would not change my vote. To me it does not matter what type of establishment it would have been. Coming into this task, unfortunately this is the issue that I am tasked to do and I have to make a decision.I am comfortable and confident in the decision I have to make. Criteria number three(3)and five (5)are the grounds for my no vote that I have previously stated. I uphold that vote. It doesn't matter what type of facility. It is a little disheartening to see this has become about pro-life or pro-choice.This is strictly a rezoning matter by definition. The interpretations from everyone in the room could differ all day and I would still have respect for everyone. We can all agree to disagree but my criteria is, again, number three(3)and that being about the most desirable use.There are several wonderful locations of the Women's Care Center throughout our wonderful City that provide this service. To that end, again, it is not because in this instance it is an abortion clinic next door. We still have those locations that provide those wonderful opportunities for women, men and children to be served. This is not political or personal for me. It is strictly a zoning issue for me. I will not change my interpretation of these criteria. Again, it is disheartening to have this become a political issue without looking at the facts. My vote still stands as a no. Councilmember Regina Williams-Preston stated, I have had dozens of hours of conversation with the people, I think, who are most important and those are the people in this community. As you know, I represent one (1) of the two (2) districts that will be most affected. I first want to simply thank everyone who spent time to share their thoughts and opinions with me about this issue. It was certainly an opportunity to learn and I want to say I really look forward to continuing the relationship we have forged on all sides. My vote tonight will be the same as my vote earlier that is based on the same criteria and most specifically those are based on criteria three (3), four (4) and five (5). Councilmember Karen White stated, I guess I would like to start my comments with that this Council, over the last three (3) years, has operated with respect for each other whether we have agreed or not. We have not personally attacked each other be it in public or through the media. My expectations regardless,we have had a number of issues on which we have not agreed but we have handled it at a level of respect and integrity. And when ones character is being challenged we have not responded on a personal level. It is my hope that we would continue to operate as such. Just 7