Dear Editor,
Re: Affordable housing project proceeds after appeal rejected, May 1
Coun. Jonathan Gordon played quite a song about the municipal planning commission and how good a job it did working with the developer.
The truth is that Gordon was not at the appeal and has no idea the mistakes the Town’s planning and development department made. The 40-plus in attendance were shocked at the Town approving such a development when, in fact, the application should have been thrown out.
The development proposal, which included eight buildings, did not include a site plan. In fact, the drawings for one of the buildings was not included in the proposal. According to the documents, the notice of decision was approved the day before the application was submitted.
The staff report to the municipal planning commission had a different legal address than the notice of decision to approve. Drawings showed secondary suites in two of the four plex buildings as well as the duplexes.
Part way through the appeal, the appeal board asked the administration, “What exactly is our role here?” as it had no instruction. In fact, I, the appellant, handed the appeal board the instructions.
As mentioned previously, the Town has egg on its face. The developer did not do a great job in putting this application together, but worse than that is the level of professionalism that Gordon was talking about.
The municipal planning commission approved this project without looking at it. The developer looks bad here but the Town wears the egg. It was very clear which party displayed professionalism at the appeal.
Glenn Costello
Diamond Valley
