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| Kirk successfully defeated the Kobayashi Maru Simulation, but that has nothing to do with what a 3.5FAR, 60 DU/AC means...But are there similarities? |
What does this mean and who wants this? 3.5 FAR, 60 DU/AC? Well, it’s not James Tiberius Kirk’s secret reprogramming code-tool utilized to defeat the Kobayashi Maru simulation. It’s not science fiction. It’s not even fiction.
It refers to building and massing and scale.
It is code speak for high-density, vertical dwelling capacity.
And this is what DPZ Co-Design “recommended” for “housing”
at OLF-8. In writing, to staff.
As I go through all the emails from DPZ that came out via a public records request, I’ve run across this recommendation
to staff. I also see that, rightfully, it
elicits IMMEDIATE push back from our planning folks. Check out this exchange from January 8th-12th 2021…
Mike Weich, DPZ Co-Design: “After reviewing
different plans and potential capacity we think that a FAR of 3.5 and a density
of 60 DU/AC are the limits needed for OLF8”
County Planner: “Staff is really concerned about
the density being at 60 DU/AC..Can we please, come up with a good plan on how
to describe this to the Commissioners and the Citizens. This will freak, scare
and blow peoples mind. Escambia County
has had nothing like this...”
County Planning Supervisor: “Yes, this is
concerning. Consideration needs to be
given for the specific area of these types structures for the increase in
density-Definitely not for the entire area”
Mike Weich, DPZ Co-Design: “We completely agree,
that’s why we included the areas that would have this density only, which is
less than 1/3 of the site.”
Marina Khoury, DPZ Co-Design: “...We first need to
convince Bergosh that residential is desirable on a site this large, before we
begin to show different density types.”
But here is the thing.
I don’t need to be convinced of anything, Marina—I’m listening to my
constituents that have told me LOUDLY and CLEARLY, they DON’T want ANY housing
on this field. NONE. We have too much already and our
infrastructure has not kept up. I’ve said from the start that I realized I
would likely have to accept some compromise on this----but
wow! This?!? What will these people
think in Beulah when they figure out you all want 60 units per acre?
Not only does DPZ and Navy Federal Credit Union (apparently) want housing---they want 4-story, heavily massed, 60 apartments per acre housing! This is the LAST thing I think we need. This is the
last thing I know my constituents in Beulah want. How much traffic would this produce, with all those apartments’ cars going in and out all day long, 24/7 365. It would be a nightmare!Why the shoe-horn job here? Why the relentless pressing of this
high-impact, high intensity residential on this field? Why? Who
wants this, and how much $ are they looking to make by building this city-block
style upscale rental residential out here in Beulah?
Why do they keep pushing so hard on this? Really, why?
It reminds me of my student teacher practicum days with very
young primary students at Lexington Elementary School in El Cajon California. I had some students that would try and try to
wedge the triangle block in the square hole.
So, I would calmly show them where to put it, where it would fit. I’d say, “see, it fits in this hole here...” Then, these same students would smile, look
up at me with awe and a grin and again, busily and industriously, try to fit the
circle block in the star hole….It took a while for these students to figure it out…..I chuckled to myself back then, because I knew I was probably just like these kids when I was that age!
As it relates to this issue on OLF-8 and the relentless push of the square peg into the round hole (metaphorically speaking) that I am seeing with this push for 60 units per acre—I’m equally amazed they cannot see this is NOT wanted. It. does. not. fit. It's the star trying to go into the square.
Imagine if these
folks got what they are really shooting for—nearly a third of this 500 acres
with this zoning designation permitting 60 DU/AC?
Isn't it odd the people who live in Beulah would be pushing for this type of development and hope to "embarrass" the commissioners into supporting this? Are they sheep easily duped -- Or being led by a wolf in sheep's' clothing? or perhaps a wolf having their palm greased?
ReplyDeleteLook up Hemmer from St Pete and his developments, look at the PNJ article, They mention the Beulah Beltway. I thought that idea might be dead. Was the "road swap part of this long range plan?
60 apartments / 1 acre...means how many people and cars...and that's only 1 acre.
Beulah..Little Miami and the New St Pete and they have suburban "housewives" and others lining up taking up meeting time to advocate for this development in their own neighbor hood.
Me thinks folks are being used like pawns in a chess game.
Greed never sleeps.
Don't accept the master plan nor the offer.
Bring in an employer and employ escambia residents, not encourage people wanting to flee failing Democrat run cities to jam up our roads and bring their twisted politics to town.
It is unbelievable, the more you see the propaganda that Underhill is willing to get behind to serve his own selfish purposes and even more eyeopening is the people who fall for it and allow themselves to be used.
Hemmer said he is being transparent but are people able to see? Is this what we want for Escambia? I doubt it.
http://www.fhemmer.com/recent-deals.php
I would rather see an Amazon warehouse or something like that and I believe the other four commissioners would also.
Do this instead
https://floridadep.gov/lands/environmental-services/content/florida-forever
We DO NOT want more housing but we also do not want ugly buildings and semi trucks up and down our roads. We want a DESTINATION. A place to shop, eat , be entertained with live venues, parks and facilities like a library, maybe a sports park and post office. Seems pretty side what we want but apparently to mainly people want to make $$$ and could give a rats ass about what the actual people who live near this want.
ReplyDeleteI believe there are two groups of people who want the housing on OLF-8.
ReplyDeleteOne group are those who live on Frank Reader Road. They think if you fill up OLF-8 with housing and amenities that there will be no place to put ugly steel warehouses to look at across the street from there homes.
The second group are the realtors or someone who has a family member in the Real Estate business, who would make a ton of money selling these units. They would love to see this happen and I can't blame them, they would make a killing, $$$$$$$. They will be loving life, but once the last unit is sold, then they will complain about all the traffic around OLF-8 from all these units they sold.
We do not need more housing on OLF-8. This small group of people pushing for this housing seem to think everyone living in these units will walk to work as if everyone living there will be employed there. That's crazy and I believe anyone that has an opportunity to get a hi paying job would be willing to drive 15 to 30 minutes to go to work. Many current residents of Beulah do that every day just going to NAS Pensacola or Correy Station.
A solution would be for those living on Frank Reader Road, would be to make ALL structures out of brick. This would make even a warehouse look attractive.
Beulah resident--very astute points and you are spot on. Dan Churukian---unfortunately, although I do not support it and have not supported it, there will be housing of some variety on that field as a part of the compromise that will happen. The good news is there will also be amenities for residents as part of that compromise. And we will be able to mandate strict building standards for any commercial structures built to support the jobs. On the frontage of 9-mile road we will have some retail and shops, restaurants, etc. I will press for a park, and a world-class walking/jogging trail all around the site. I support 15 acres for a school site, and I will be meeting very soon with the superintendent Dr. Smith to discuss his needs. I will also work with the sheriff to add a sub-station if he feels he can support this. The only library in District 1 has already been funded and sited, it is in Bellview on Mobile Hwy, a short drive from Beulah, much, much closer than the other library branches we have had to utilize up until this point. In short-this field will produce a win for all of us--while NONE of us will get everything we want. It's called a compromise.
ReplyDeleteUnderhill on Escambia Citizens Watch Facebook is so funny. At least there's a couple of people she didn't kick off. LOL. He is the new superhero DEFLECTO. His cloak of invisibility isn't working.
ReplyDelete