From Our Readers
Peninsula News – Thursday, May 22, 2008

Opposite of rural

To the Editor:
    In last week's PV News, RHE Mayor Frank Zerunyan claimed that increased density in the Silver Spur shopping area was required by law. Past Mayor Susan Seamans said that “no tenant in the proposed 927 develop- ment project was complaining,” and “We have developers here who are members of our community.” All arguments in favor of higher density. Yet many RHE residents still oppose the increased density. Someone is missing something here.

    Economic interests put this issue in perspective. On the plus side, developers stand to make a nice profit if density is approved. And local shopkeepers believe that new development on Silver Spur will brighten their prospects. On the minus side, RHE's residents will almost certainly be hurt by higher density.

    Property values in Rolling Hills Estates have long been tied to the rural and horsey nature of our community. But high density is the opposite of rural. And losing this rural status will hurt property values. Do the math. Even a small percentage decline in housing value would be significant for most RHE residents.

    Add increased traffic to density, and the situation gets even worse for residents. Even the developer's consultant now admits that residential density increases commute traffic - which is another hit on residential property values. But shopkeepers are also hurt by increased traffic and congestion. New buildings attract shoppers, but traffic congestion pushes them away. Existing congestion (competition for parking, traffic, etc.) has already shifted spending activity away from Silver Spur. Increasing the congestion can only worsen the shopkeeper's outlook.

    And as for the legal argument, the strongest law in the world can't make water run uphill. The state's guideline for housing doesn’t require RHE to destroy our shopping center and our property values.

    Our council has already spent an unbelievable amount of time on this issue - without resolution. I have submitted to council a request that we turn this issue over to the people, and hold a special election: up or down on the issue of higher density in RHE.

                                                                            Richard Conway
                                                                            Rolling Hills Estates
 

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