"Let's just figure out what this developer needs and change the zoning law to accommodate him"
Politics in Emeryville have produced quite a lot of hyperbole over the years. At the Tattler, we occasionally post quotable quotes from Emeryville personalities since where we've been can sometimes inform where we're going.
Right after the city completed more than five years of paid and citizen volunteer work to produce a new General Plan last October, one developer, John Nady of Nady Systems wireless audio on Shellmound Street said he wanted to change the new plan to pre-approve unlimited building height (from 75 feet) on his specific parcel of land. He gave no reason for this request for a gift to him from the people of Emeryville other than his desire for more profits.
The council was eager to grant this give-a-way without providing any findings of merit or consideration except staff pointed out to them that if they change the General Plan to increase the allowable building height on his parcel to 'unlimited' then the zoning needs to be changed to reflect the new higher allowance. Specifically, the floor area ratio (FAR), an arcane planning modus, needed to be changed. The council members were bantering this around when Council member Bukowski told the staff to just increase the FAR to whatever it needed to be to make it work to help out this developer build an unlimited height building on his property.
"Let's just figure out what this developer needs and change the zoning law to accommodate him" With this one short and succinct sentence, Council Member Bukowski has managed to sum up the whole guiding philosophy of Emeryville City Hall.
Easy question to answer..No, bukowski is not working for anyone but himself; surely that has become apparent some time ago as a result of his political action violations and offensive denial of responsibility for anything he did.
ReplyDeleteDon't agree that his "lets just figure out".... remark characterizes entire council, but without getting "shrinky", his remark seems quite consistent with his actions/words ie. refusing to take any responsibility for any violations he committed; instead he tries to find a way to make the facts fit his denial; it is not surprising that he would suggest what he did to accomodate the developer...
meanwhile, his colleagues on the council continue to allow the city and its citizens to be stained by his presence; while why they do that is unknown, i say vote all of them off the council who have not openly supported his removal. The citizens deserve and can do better...
Bukowski is a great American. I'd like to see him run for governor ... no, he should run for Emperor of America and Protectorate of Mexico! All bow to Emperor Bukowski!
ReplyDeletewhat is the point of ten years' of hard work revising the general plan if the height density can be changed so easily?
ReplyDeletelikewise changing the zoning on the two blocks bordered by hollis/doyle/62nd/64th from light industrial to park/open land without notifying the business owners of those two blocks and then changing it again to office/technology. this item is on the planning commission agenda under "public hearing" on aug. 26.