Re: Corridor Public Hearing

["Priscilla Salant" <psalant@moscow.com>]

Visionaries,

I'd like to offer a response to John Murray's request for impressions of
Monday's corridor meeting.  Sorry this is long but the event was hard to
capture in a few words.

In general, the public comments were somewhat more reasoned than those at
the planning commission hearing in May.  Then, the atmosphere was extremely
polarized and sometimes hostile, especially towards university staff.  Most
citizens who spoke were either pro- or anti-development, and did not
acknowledge that the concerns of the “other side” had any legitimacy
whatsoever.  This time people seemed just a little more understanding. 
Quite a few people spoke who had not offered comments before.

One gentleman who has lived on the corridor for some 70 years talked about
the changes he's seen, especially on the Moscow end.  He said his
grandparents came when Highway 270 was no more than a dirt track.  I wish I
had been here when the land now occupied by the Palouse Mall was the lush
meadow he described.

A man from the WSU budget office (as I remember) said WSU was very
concerned about the development plan, mostly because of quality of life and
transportation issues.  Perhaps I misunderstood, but he seemed to be
representing the university, which surprised me. 

A developer from Emerald Point in Pullman argued for development that was
suited to the landscape and sensitive to environmental issues.

The Pullman Chamber of Commerce (board of directors?) came out squarely,
unanimously for the plan, as did the property owners organization from the
county.

As for my own opinion -- I regret that people with different interests in
the corridor don't find time to sit down, listen to each other, and try
finding compromises that might satisfy more than one "side."  Instead, this
process of public participation, if that's what it is, seems very
alienating and often disrespectful.  There has to be a better way.  I would
appreciate so much hearing a real exchange of information and ideas between
the commissions and the public.  Instead, they get talked at and lectured;
some speakers get applause and others don't; and we leave feeling like not
much was accomplished at all.

Yes, the public comment period was extended through tomorrow.  But I
certainly don't know what good it will do.

--Priscilla Salant