CFBH (Senior Housing) Cutting Corners?

To: grandterracenews@yahoo.com

Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 9:38 AM
Planning Comm. meeting is coming up in a few days.

The developer of your favorite parcel (AKA the Senior Center) is saying NO to installation of a concrete block wall along south and west boundaries. Claims the wall will hurt natural flows of rainwater.

Instead is proposing to install a steel fence. That is supposed to allow flows on through. Noise too. A fence is not a sound wall also.

Gramp Adds:

The "Natural Flow" of water will be though a steel fence and into the back yards of people on Barton Road... It is not "Natural" when it is coming off of a Roof and Paved Parking Lot. In addition the lowest part of the field already has block wall along the S/W boarder of the property so this claim does not ring true. What I hear is the Contractor who had a no bid contract with the city is trying to cut costs. What I hear is an increased amount of noise for those folks who do not have a block wall and will now have a 2 story Neighbor with Air Conditioners. What I hear is a follow on law suit against the City and the Contractor if the Block Wall is not built as it was included as part of the Mitigation of the Environmental Impact of building the High Density Apartments in a Low Density Area.

Remember this is the "Good Neighbor" who refused to address the concerns of the neighboring properties until Judge Wade ordered a Real Environmental Impact Study, which then cause design changes, including the Block Wall as part of the mitigation. This is the Good Neighbor who could contribute to Grand Terrace Days Slush Fund when it had actions before the Planning Commission and City Council. Nope, the Fence should be built and to the specifications as approved and required by the Environmental Impact Study and the Mitigation Plan approved by the Court.

The Building Run Off and Parking Lot Run Off should be caught and cleaned and used to water the park. OR a Drain to a IMPROVED STREET DRAIN SYSTEM ..... Remember this was one of the issues raised in the Court Case... and we were assured, the road and drainage would be no problem due to the parks design...

IF the Contractor is allowed to build a fence other than a block wall then like road fees the city should collect the cost of the block wall as a Environmental Mitigation Fee and put the fence in as a PUBLIC WORKS Project. Perhaps Steve Berry knows a Convict doing Court Ordered Public Service that installs Block Walls and he can get a deal on the job?