31 Dec January 2016 Chair Report
Happy New Year!
Amy Barry
A petition has been filed to amend the master plan and rezone 8 parcels located about 1960 S 900 E. As I walked my neighborhood to deliver 200 flyers to alert neighbors about the meeting I had some good discussions.
One gentleman really struck me when he said he’s lived there 30 years and seen a lot of changes and just doesn’t think participating matters. Here I am schlepping around the neighborhood in the cold (and I had a nasty cold too) and I thought how disheartening. Once my head cleared from my illness I realized that I have often felt powerless and that my voice did not matter with the city. I have felt like my neighbor and I wonder what has kept spurring me on?
About 10 years ago the master plan was amended to rezone the business district to allow for the height and density we now see. Hardly anyone paid attention or participated. Maybe because they didn’t know about it. Maybe because they didn’t care. Maybe because they didn’t believe anything would change.
In the end I guess we will never know if people had paid attention and participated 10 years ago if we could have changed the course of our development. I think we could have. I guess in my eternal optimism of community I think our voices matter. Even when it feels as if no one is listening.
My hope for 2016 is the continuation of building our community of advocates. Providing my community with facts and opportunities to participate and make a difference in our corner of the world. Every voice matters to me. Every opinion matters to me. I hope you join me.
