BIKE: [Fwd: Invitation to Public Meeting - Shoal Creek Boulevard Transportati on Project]

[Patrick Goetz]

kristen theiler wrote:
>  I think it'd be a waste
> of my time to go to the meeting if it's just going to
> be a bunch of people screaming about how they've been
> wronged. If it'll be a rational discussion about why
> the new SCB is a failure with new proposals on fixing
> it, then I look forward to it.
> 

Well, then by all means make it that (a rational discussion) by 
attending the meeting and being assertive about keeping the discussion 
constructive.  I'm just stating my opinion, which happens to include the 
quaint concept of accountability.  As far as I can tell, the biggest 
problem with the city's current focus on "neighborhood level planning" 
is that "neighbors" take action and have opinions with absolutely no 
accountability or fear of consequences.  There was a zoning battle in my 
neighborhood in which one of the homeowners (and her husband) took it 
upon themselves to use the freedom of information act to get copies of 
every email anyone on the neighborhood planning team had sent to city 
staff.  Not only did this tie up tremendous amounts of COA staff time 
(xeroxing, collating, and blacking out names on literally thousands of 
emails), but they (friendly neighbor people) then used this and the fact 
that many of the planning team members have friends who work for the 
city to try and intimidate city staff.  Normally this would be called 
blackmail, and there would be consequences,  but under the current 
system of "neighbors are immune no matter what they do, or the neighbor 
is always right", it was all A-OK.  City staff fear losing their job 
while neighborhood psychopaths run amok.  I've seen this happen over and 
over again in numerous and varied contexts.  The SBC debacle is just one 
more example of the minority, elevated to a godlike status because they 
happen to own a hut along the city's right of way, defecating on the 
majority; in this case creating an enormous public safety hazard just to 
create a little additional convenience for themselves at the city's expense.

At some point the madness is going to have to stop, but it probably 
won't be at this meeting, so your point is well taken.  Hopefully the 
next city council election will likely put an end to this nonsense once 
and for all.