HARC Debacle

The HARC meeting on Wednesday evening did not go well, and the project was voted to be continued again, in spite of the staff recommendation for approval.

While this may not seem devastating on the surface, the developer has lost faith in the HARC process and is deeply discouraged, to say the least. In fact Garrett (Meriwether) and Todd (CCY) both left the room during the meeting in exasperation. 

There seem to be many interpretations/opinions about what transpired at the meeting, but mine is that the primary issue stems from an apparent disregard for what is intended to be a linear, cumulative process of modifications and approvals. Meriwether went in to the meeting feeling confident that they had adequately addressed the conditions that HARC had given them in prior meetings. They had worked with the planning staff to ensure those conditions had been interpreted correctly and met, and were expecting a preliminary approval from the board based on these facts. 

Instead, one board member, Eddie Baker, apparently confused by the process, and therefore reprimanded numerous times by his fellow board members, pressed for a complete denial of the project based on his wholesale dislike of the project. Chance Leoff, the chair, seemed to second guess the previous conversations and demanded major changes to the building on Fir Street, including creating multiple buildings and one-story buildings. Sherri Lynch, who adamantly did not agree with the views of either Chance or Eddie, focused her concerns on the San Juan building. Both Narcis and Dave worked tirelessly to get the project approval with minor conditions.

Many of the suggestions being made by Chance and Eddie were more appropriate for a worksession with the applicants before they started the HARC process--which indeed happened a year ago, and set them on their current course. This is at the root of Meriwether's dismay and confusion.

The only public dissent was expressed from one neighbor (Jane Watenpaugh and her brother in law George Greenbank) on Oak Street, who literally does not want this development in her backyard. 

I believe that there may be cause for the Town Council to call up the project. In lieu of that happening, it is my expectation that Meriwether is prepared to sell the lot piecemeal. No final decision has been made, that I know of, at this time.

If the property is for sale, the Warehouse will possibly be available at free market price. The rest of the lot will likely go use-by-right, and we will all have less control than we do now.

However, hopefully, not all is lost. Stay tuned for more.