After serving eight years on the council, this is my first letter to The Times. But I wanted to express my appreciation for all the emails and comments at the June 16 public hearing on the Park Place plan for out downtown.

All input was sincere, insightful, relevant and helpful. The 4:30 Times [email] on Friday reported that those who opposed the plan slightly outweighed those in favor. Actually, including the speaker cards used as ballots, those favoring the plan totaled 19 while 33 were opposed. I hope the developer heard the concerns as well as the desires of our residents and takes their valuable input to heart as he prepares the concept plan for the project.

Since Jeff Denzak of the Swaback team concurred with the “residential and retail uses” described to him last June, he could not comment on or support the current plan since he had not seen it. Perhaps the Park Place development team could share the plan approved by a 4/3 council with the Swaback team, soliciting their input on how it could be modified to better reflect the downtown vision plan approved by the Council in 2009 as the Downtown Area Specific Plan and designed with the participation and support of our citizens.

Components of this plan include specialty shops, boutique stores, unique cafés and dining experiences enhanced by sidewalks with an abundance of shade and space for seating, on-site parking and convenient access to parking. Second story office space, condominiums, small-scale businesses, limited neighborhood services and possibly a small percentage of brownstone style housing were also cited in the plan.

It was evident at the meeting that both sides were passionate about this issue. This is the future of our downtown and the decisions made will be with us for a long time. Supporters speculated what they hope will come as a result of the plan…those opposed fear what they know will come. Hopefully the split vote at least made both sides feel that their hopes and fears were represented and brought to the room that night. Thanks again to all that participated in trying to make our town a better place to live.