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1. Catherine
   Member

   http://www.rblandmark.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=3104&TM=36160.61

   Shields wants to raise the fee for developers to buy their way out of buying parking spaces from 5 to 8K, even though he knows this does not cover the cost the village taxpayers shell out to provide those parking spaces. He and Mr Wiaduck feel we MUST provide these incentives to lure developers here.

   Sells, Smith and Sussman want rates in line with costs, more like 22-25K, although no one pulled the trigger on that vote. So they were accused of being antidevelopment.

   The article clearly connects the Village Center waivers with the Burlington St. purchase, although we are hearing it is business parking. Anyway, between all the money blown on consultants and lawyers for development, and buying that property, we could have built some Soviet Union style apartment blocks already.

   Maybe they should have used that money to lure buyers for the empty new condominiums that are already here. OR MAYBE LURING WHAT WE REALLY WANT: BUSINESSES in the storefronts we already have.

   Posted Friday Oct 26, 2007 09:13 #

2. spatny
   Member

   The worst is that they don't want to fund the landscaping of the CBD, but want to attract businesses. If the landscaping would take $100K over three years, for example, including maint., then that is far less than they threw away on Kane McKenna and the TIF. If the VC developers had to pay $25K a space for what they didn't provide, they would have either built fewer units or put in in the prices they set, which seem to have been calculated to get the max from the project. Now the Board cries we are going broke, and then agrees to spend all this dough to provide 15 spaces. When they sold the alley for $15 K to the developers it would have parked nine cars, so at $25 K a pop they lost again. And that alley space was turned into four times as much by building four floors over it - for which they will probably charge close to a million - or more. The Board and our Manager and consultants are brain dead on development. No one in their right mind would do these deals, and now the taxpayers will have to foot the bill. I hope that gives them great satisfaction when they go by those empty stores.

   Posted Friday Oct 26, 2007 14:24 #

3. Catherine
   Member

   Yes true. Given that, it seems to me the businesses have the greatest interest in having the CBD landscaped, and that they could make donations to a village fund for that purpose just as citizens make such donations, and just as we maintain the trees on our parkways and sometimes plant them.

   I am hoping this will be part of the discussion at the Nov 1 Special Meeting of the LAC on CBD Landscaping.

   Posted Friday Oct 26, 2007 16:16 #

4. spatny
   Member

   I just learned from an LAC member that the Board put $25,000 into the budget for landscaping for the CBD, on the condition that it be spent for plants and planting, and not wasted on consultants, etc. I propose that the LAC people who know what they are doing figure out what plants (and perhaps trees) they want to put in so that they can be gron for next spring, and that we assemble an adult and student corps of volunteers to work on four Staurdays (or two weekends and go one by one, say starting at the Arcade building and through the planters in front of the Kafka building on the first day, rototilling and augmenting the soil, and then planting those planters first, then the next weekend the ones on the south side of Burlinton down to the post office on the next, then the north side of Burlington on the next, then whatever else is left. This would be under the direction of the two Mikes, and thus, in no longer than one month, we should be able to get those areas cleaned, planted and looking a lot better. If that took $10,000 in planting materials I would be surprised, and that would leave enough to pay for an outside contractor to maintain and water for the rest of the season. We could try and solicit donations or care from the local businesses, but regardless of what that generated, we could have it all done and looking good for next year. I know this might run into some snags but it is, it seems to me, a viable action plan that will result in a great improvement at an affordable price, and won't make an impossible task for the DPW and Mike Collins. People, what do you thinkl? I'm willing to work those four days 9-5, and I'm sure there are others that will chip in. I think a crew of 12-15 persons could easily accomplish this. How about it? I'll also donate the cost of a tree. How about we get sign up list for this and just do it.

   Posted Friday Oct 26, 2007 17:21 #

5. cherylb
   Member

   I think the idea of student/adult corps is a great one. I wonder if it could even go a step further. Since we are in the Triton school district, and they have a horticulture program, can Riverside be a combined school project - RBHS and Triton - as a way to keep the landscaping in historical perspective and have high school students work with college age students? It might be a nice mentoring program, and a great way to get students interested in their environment by understanding the importance of local native planting vs. invasive species that we see in some garden stores.

   Posted Saturday Oct 27, 2007 13:45 #

6. spatny
   Member

   Great idea CherylB.

   Posted Saturday Oct 27, 2007 16:29 #

7. cherylb
   Member

   I wonder what the steps are to get something like that off the ground. I will research a bit to see who the horticulturist at Triton is to see if s/he has any interest.

   Who would I contact in town? I am guessing the landscape committee might be a good place to start. Any thoughts/ideas are appreciated.

   Posted Sunday Oct 28, 2007 20:20 #

8. KimJ
   Member

   Cherylb, You should go to the LAC meeting this Thursday night to share your thoughts.

   Posted Sunday Oct 28, 2007 20:54 #

9. cherylb
   Member

   I will try. I usually don't get home from work until after 7. But this might be worth leaving work early for!

   Posted Sunday Oct 28, 2007 21:44 #

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