Intensity, Density and Scale

The following is the substance of an e-mail recently sent to the Commissioners:

We eleven families who live in Library Mews are unanimous in our opposition to the proposed high rise project planned at 1335 Second St.

We believe there is an obvious compatibility problem when the proposed tower is more than twice as high as any other building in our neighborhood---and roughly five times the height of our own next door. Can you imagine what this will do to our sunlight?

We respectfully request, that, at your convenience, you [Commissioners] make a brief visit to Library Mews so you can personally understand our concerns about the impact of a 132-foot tower in such a small area and how it will impact our otherwise low to mid-rise neighborhood. We will meet you and show you what concerns us.

Clearly, Burns Square is not the only downtown neighborhood potentially endangered by speculative development with all the destructiveness of urban renewal

John Michel
Library Mews Homeowners Association

In the Comprehensive Plan there is a discussion of the kinds of things that need to be considered to ensure that a proposed use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. This is the language:

the proposed use(s); intensity; density; scale; building size, mass, bulk, height and orientation; lot coverage; lot size/configuration; architecture; screening; buffers; setbacks; signage; lighting; traffic circulation patterns; loading area locations; operating hours; noise; odor, and other factors of compatibility are used to determine whether the proposed development is compatible with surrounding uses and the intensity, density, and scale of surrounding development

More information about this issue is in our Dec 19 post.

Our current pace of building in downtown, even with the new code limiting buildings to 10 stories instead of 18 stories, does not sit well with very many people. Issues like the Library Mews need to be addressed. The buffer concept that will be used around Laurel Park and other Downtown Edge neighborhoods is a step in the right direction, however our current effort are falling well short of the what most people think is needed.

We hope the Commissioners can find a way to address this issue.