Letter: Big-box just doesn’t fit

EDITOR,
The proposed retail project at Gateway South makes no sense. It made no sense when Target was a part of the project. It makes no sense now.
Virtually everything about the project is unsuitable for this city: Its height, size, scale, footprint, traffic and other impacts — you name it, and it is wrong. Additionally, the project totally ignores the city’s responsible hillside development policy with a plan to cut and blast into the hillside as part of the development of this parcel.
This is the single largest standalone retail project proposed in the history of the city. And this City Council has made numerous procedural errors in the handling of this project. Had you or I, the average citizen, applied for a project that asked for a 90 percent variance to the city’s development plan, I doubt it would ever have made it past the application stage. And yet here we are.
It seems every major project submitted to the city of late has sought approval with overriding considerations. This includes the Town Center project, the Holiday Inn Express, the Polo Ranch Development and now the Retail Project at Gateway South.
Overriding considerations should be reserved for use as an exception to the rule. Instead, it would appear that the exception has become the rule.
Overuse of this mechanism for development will at some point significantly impact our quality of life. Some people believe that has happened already.
I encourage you to provide feedback to the city regarding this project. This project is not only inappropriate, it is wrong for this city. Let the City Council know. Protect this city from inappropriate development.
It is up to you, the members of the community, to do so. It is evident this City Council is shirking its responsibilities in this regard.
• Editor’s note: The city’s deadline to submit comments on the project is Dec. 21, 2009.