> do I worry about the deleterious affects a walmart can have on the
> viability of the cbd? yes. would I like to see landscape mitigation of the
> huge parking area. yes. does the impossibly steep slope with no
> horizontal drainage control swales behind the store give me pause to
> think. yes.
>
> but if we are to avoid future "mistakes" and ameliorate current ones, we
> need to recognize their strengths, understand them, and develop
> strategies to deal with them.
How can we (a community) avoid future mistakes if it is corporate
policy to backdoor communities? How can we mitigate the negativities
of a superstore if we are never allowed to participate in the
planning process?
Walmart doesn't give a dang about what the communities think
or want. Many of us opposed to Walmart several years did not
oppose Walmart coming to Moscow. We wanted them to come
on our terms, not theirs.
The only strategy that I see to avoid future
mistakes is to open up the political system, the good-ole boy
development system, that allows such practices to happen.
BTW...no one responded to my question about the city underwriting
the business park. Do people think the city government ought to
have the power to underwrite bonds without voter approval?
-- Greg Brown (gregb@uidaho.edu) Computer Services Adjunct Assistant Professor, College of Forestry,Wildlife,& Range Sciences University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 885-2126 Fax: (208) 885-7539