Bicycle Board Members,
Stewart Street is part of the nascent Morgantown Bike Route and I know that some of us use Wellen and Lorentz to get from Stewart to Jones.
Looking at the "progress" on Wiles Hill, in a few years, all it will be huge apartment complexes, 2 or more cars for every apartment and no space left to do anything with the streets. As far as I know, pedestrians and bicyclists are ignored.
What do you want to do about this? (I only just received the message below. Apparently, their was a public hearing on November 10 that we missed.)
Frank D. Gmeindl
Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board
LCI #1703
491 WilsonAvenue
Morgantown, WV 26501
304-376-0446
Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
Begin forwarded message:
Date: November 14, 2011 9:25:01 AM EST
To: Bill Reger-Nash <wreger@hsc.wvu.edu>, Bob Anderson <randerson@hsc.wvu.edu>, Christiaan Abildso <cgabildso@mail.wvu.edu>, Dave Harshbarger <harshbargerd@wvuh.com>, David Small <dsmall1@mix.wvu.edu>, Dwight Harshbarger <dwight.harshbarger@gmail.com>, George Lilley <mgranlil@frontier.com>, Ilana Chertok <ichertok@hsc.wvu.edu>, Jan Derry <jderry@nwvcil.org>, Jimmie Simmons <Jsimmons2642@yahoo.com>, Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource@cheat.org>, Maria Smith <mariasmith@busride.org>, Martha Summers <msummers@hsc.wvu.edu>, Michael Graham <migraham@hsc.wvu.edu>, Regina Mayolo <reginam@verizon.net>, Sarah Bias <sarahbias@gmail.com>, Stan Cohen <Stanley.Cohen@mail.wvu.edu>, Tom Bias <tbias@hsc.wvu.edu>, Angela Wiley <wileya120@gmail.com>, Bill Austin <baustin@labyrinth.net>, Claire Chantler <cchantler@nwvcil.org>, Damien Davis <ddavis@cityofmorgantown.org>, Ella Belling <ella@montrails.org>, Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl@gmail.com>, Hugh Kierig <Hugh.Kierig@mail.wvu.edu>, Jim Rye <Jim.Rye@mail.wvu.edu>, Josh Woods <joshua.woods@mail.wvu.edu>, Kevin Leyden <Kevin.Leyden@mail.wvu.edu>, Mary Gutmann <maryg1010@comcast.net>, Matt Cross <crossnyc@hotmail.com>, Michael Simms <michael.d.simms@gmail.com>, Mike Breiding <mike@EpicRoadTrips.us>, Nick Hein <info@positivespin.org>, Roy Nutter <roy.nutter@mail.wvu.edu>, Sera Janson Zegre <sera@downstreamstrategies.com>
Subject: Wiles Hill zoning appeal
All -
Please find below information re: the zoning variance on Stewart Street. Has pedestrian traffic flow from these properties been addressed?
I suggest contacting your council person.
Christiaan
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Folks: We just received a notice from the City's Planning Division for a proposed "Development of Significant Impact Site Plan" petition in our R-2 neighborhood for a proposed 20 two-bedroom dwelling on upper Stewart Street between Wellen and Lorenze Avenue (lower side of Stewart St. of which construction is now under way). The Planning Commission Hearing for this petition is scheduled for Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 6:30 pm to decide on the conditional use and discuss the two variances.
Under R-2 zoning 11 units are allowed. The BZA will have to approve the request for two variances which request a 2.5-foot set-back (10 feet is the minimum front setback standard) and also a variance to exceed the maximum building height requirement of 2.5 stories - the petition is for a 4 story building.
I would suggest that our neighborhood oppose this plan (petition) on the basis of: 1) it is outside the character of existing dwellings on upper Stewart Street, 2) it will have a major impact on one of the major gateways to our Wiles Hill - Highland Park Neighborhood, 3) it appears that satellite parking is already underway on the upper side of Stewart Street for this large dwelling (s), and 4) this will set a precedent for further consideration of petitioners requesting conditional uses and variances in an established R-2 neighborhood, 5) with the high level of traffic on Stewart Street a 2.5 front set-back is a safety issue (most dwellings are at least 6-10 feet from the sidewalk on Stewart Street.
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Walk more, safely
Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board
Christiaan Abildso, Chair
Bill Reger-Nash, Vice Chair
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