Help Shape the City's Future

Plaintalker offers kudos to all who came out and spoke at the public hearing Thursday on the North Avenue extension proposal.

There were many concerns and speakers framed their questions well.

Planning officials were attentive and seemed responsive to the concerns.

Plaintalker only wishes that more members of the public had come out and weighed in on the issues. The magnitude of redevelopment proposals now on the table means that everyone will be affected somehow. There could be hundreds more people and cars downtown, affecting major north-south and east-west routes. They will need city services. And even though developers claim new housing will produce very few school children, it’s likely that schools will be affected.

And that’s the good news.

Some fear the specter of half-finished construction or buildings that will not attract buyers, but will fill up with renters.

Whether the coming changes are good, bad or mixed, it’s important to pay attention and voice opinions. Public hearings are built into the redevelopment process. Your views are valuable!

--Bernice Paglia