Re: Help! We need letters!
From: Rich Lobdill (richardlcallamer.com)
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 23:11:49 -0500
Marty:

This won't be big help in the short term but...

We here at Grell Coho had recieved quite a bit of passisve-agressive
comments from the neighbors over the years we were working towards county
approval. As the time got nearer towards offical public hearings, we
organized a neighborhood meeting and invited probably 50 households in the
nearby area. Probably 15-20 housholds showed up. We also enlisted the help
of an outside consultant who makes a living teaching meeting facilitation
and conflict resolution. He was the moderator for the evening. Basically we
sat there for two hours, listened and wrote down on big sheets of paper the
neighbors' concerns.  The most vocal of the neighbors we had heard before in
different settings but it seemed important for them to talk again with the
neighborhood listening at a public forum. We answered some of the factual
questions at that time but made it clear from the out set that the more
involved questions would be address in a follow up letter.

We did answer in writing to the best of out ability after reseaching some
answers. At or near the same time we scheduled a follow-up meeting. The
follow-up meeting had exacly _one_ attendee, a fellow directly ajoining the
property who chooses to have nothing to do with us.

On April 9, we went in front of the San Luis Obispo planning commision and
recieved a unanimous vote of approval for our project. There were of course,
neighbors there still talking against our project but they had spent there
ammunition long ago and we had at least heard them out. It was noted in the
public hearing that we had held neighborhood meetings and that was a
definate plus.

The best of luck.

Rich Lobdill
Grell Cohousing Group
(now with a new name for the development proper: Tierra Nueva)
Oceano, CA

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