Not impressed

“A pig with lipstick is still a pig.”  A 55-60 foot tall building in the middle of a small, mostly single story small town and across the street from a wonderful park with the tallest structure in this town a sun dial is a significant “character change” that destroys the character of this town.

Writing long winded newspaper opinion pieces using catch phrases such as: “ugly dirt lot,” “change the intrinsic character of Carefree”, doesn’t change the issue.  What’s wrong with the character of Carefree?  You know what, I like/love it! Council’s speedy approval of a faulty, sloppy, incomplete development proposal for our town with an almost 60 foot tall building, probably taller on the low end of the property, is an issue that you can’t simply dismiss as irrelevant.

I’m not impressed with a realtor’s claim that 20 plus years of selling real estate makes one an expert on what’s best for Carefree.  A bit over stated I think.  My background and education, that of my husband and of myriads of others in Carefree, who oppose this plan, have as good or greater qualifications to discern what would be good for Carefree. And, we’ve clearly expressed our opinion in the recent past.

All those studies are interesting information to be used in forming plans, but citizen support and input is more vital.  A very tall rental apartment complex is not what was highly recommended by any of those studies and definitely not what most citizens want.  More over, what does “luxury” mean–long term or short term rentals, Airbnb, furnished or unfurnished?  What appeals to a single successful 30 year old is different from what an empty nester might want.  Who will this be marketed toward? All this should have been addressed before approval.  There should have been preliminary drawings so we, the citizens and the council, could have had a ,visual illustration of what to expect.  You’re kidding yourselves if you think the DRB will have the authority you ask us to believe it has, it won’t. Without clear guide lines, established before approval, what has been done is to give the developer almost absolute control over what the final project will be like.

Development isn’t the issue, this project is.  Mr. Mayor and Council members, what are you going to do to mitigate the Pandora’s Box you’ve created? And, please, don’t tell me that we need to be reeducated. You need to answer and address our concerns. Please remember that you work for us.

Martena Miller
Carefree