Cohousing-L Mailing List: Help! We need letters!

[MartyR707 (MartyR707]

Hello friends,
Here is my update on the planning commission hearing last week that I wrote
about (asking for property value info).

It was kind of disastrous.  a number of noisy neighbors showed up and (some
quite rudely) objected to out project (14 units on 2 acres) for having too
much density, generating too much traffic for the neighborhood, and lowering
their property values.  they also have a petition signed by 52 people in the
neighborhood (many of whom are not well-informed I'm sure.)

The planning commission chair is a friend of mine.  He says we have the
planning commission as a slam-dunk, but he thinks we are in big trouble with
the city council, because they go by politics (votes) rather than good
planning (our project is beautifully designed, conforms to the plan, etc.)

What I am asking of all of you out there in already built (or at least
approved) cohousing is this:
*Can you get us a letter from your city council addressed to our city council
saying how great cohousing is, and how glad they are they approved it?  If it
could talk about neighbors objections that went away after construction and
move in, that would be even better.  These letters can be addressed to
Sebastopol City Council, c/o Planning Dept, 714 Johnson St, Sebastopol, CA
95472.  SEND IT TO ME AT:  Marty Roberts, 978 Santa Ana Drive, Santa Rosa CA
95404.

*If you have any information about prices of cohousing going up after they
are built, or neighborhoods being more desireable, waiting lists to live in
these houses, etc., that might alleviate some property value fears, those
could also be written to the city council but mailed to me.  We will get them
to the right place.

this is one prong of a multi-faceted strategy that we are working on to get
our project approved.  As many of you know, we have been working for several
years towards this goal, and are a bit scared that it could be in serious
trouble.  any help in the form of letters will be very gratefully
appreciated.  (thanks too for the emails of support that were sent after my
last plea!)
Marty Roberts
Jewell Hill Cohousing, Sebastopol
P.S.  could someone please send me the "subscribe" instructions for getting
on this list?  I don't have the info for the new management and a friend
somehow got dropped off and wants to get back on.  Thanks again!