2001-01-22 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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• To: La Porte City Council From: Greg Josey, Lomax School Road Gentlemen; I heard a Councilman in the last meeting ask if we had anything good to say about the Comprehensive Plan Process. I think most Councilmen are not aware of what really happened in that process. I would like to submit the following facts and our view of the process. • We volunteered to serve on the 15 person Steering Committee. We were ignored. We were told the Steering Committee was just a focus group for public participation and that we could get on the transportation committee if we attended the Sylvan Beach Public forum. We attended that forum. We were the vast majority of the Transportation section. We were told at the forum by the City Planning Director that we could get on the committee if we asked in writing in the comments section of the Blue card. All of us did. ...and we never got a response. ...and the committees were never formed. The written Project Operations Procedure (POP) states that the development of goals and objectives, and the visioning process would occur at the initial community visioning workshop which was the first Sylvan Beach meeting; and would involve a large number of citizens. ... and it never happened. The goals, objectives, and visioning were done by the Steering Committee that the POP says was just to be a focus group for public participation. • The Mayor's Position Paper stated that "neighborhood meetings will take place throughout the City to receive input". The Steering Committee Co - Chairperson also stated this to us again, 6 months later. ... and it never happened. The Mayor's Position Paper stated" A Citizen's Committee.... will recommend changes to the City Council". 1 .... and it never happened. The Citizen's committee REMOVED THE FARRINGTON EXTENSION from the Comprehensive Plan but the P&Z Commission overturned their decision. 4 OF THE 6 P&Z MEMBERS HAVE WELL DOCUMENTED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WHERE THEY PERSONALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS ROAD GOING THROUGH. Common sense called for them to abstain from voting. ...AND THEY VOTED FOR THE ROAD ANYWAY.