[Vision2020] Alturas zoning changes

[Mike Curley]

It is my understanding that city council voted 5-1 (Peg Hamlett being the dissenter) to--
once again--reject completely the recommendations of the Planning and Zoning 
Commission regarding the Research Technology Office zone that applies to Alturas 
Business Park.  It is the council's intent to expand the RTO zone to permit a much wider 
variety of businesses and an unlimited number of similar businesses into the park if 
they simply COULD support the research and technology functions for which the park 
was expressly intended (by the words of the original ordinance).  

Although Bill London provided this list a copy of the original proposal that was the 
subject of a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission (a copy of 
which I can provide if you care to read it), I cannot find the text of the proposed 
amendments on the city web site.  

The issue here has to do with permitting and encouraging virtually any professional 
business (attorneys, accountants, architects, engineers, consultants, and many others)
to locate in the technology park rather than in other locations in town.  No information 
was presented at the Planning and Zoning hearing that indicates that Moscow is failing 
to attract these types of professionals to town because of a lack of space for them.  The 
good reasons that exist for creating a space for research and technology start-up 
companies who "graduate" from the UI business incubator are missing for this 
expanded use of the park.  The net effect is that the park will get larger and businesses 
that locate there will pay their taxes to retire the bonds rather than to the city as they 
would if they located outside the park.  

While the public hearing has already  been held on this matter, there is time to contact 
council members and ask them to reconsider and to explain why the ordinance needs 
to be expanded.  And please, let's have more than "economic development" as an 
answer.  I AM FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.  My question is how this fosters 
economic development (if that is indeed part of the answer).  

Some individuals and businesses will benefit from the proposed changes.  They, of 
course, support the proposal as one would expect.  But Council needs to be clear I think 
on how this benefits the whole community and how it is really going to attract business 
that does not already exist--either new businesses or significant expansion of existing 
businesses.    What professional is standing at Alturas' door waiting to get in who can't 
find other adequate space in town?  Is Alturas as currently occupied unable to meet the 
bonded indebtedness such that we have permit any willing tenant to locate there?

And a final thought.  Now that three council members will be changing come January 5, 
maybe council could at least incorporate them into the discussion, given that much of 
the debate during the election centered around the lack of communication between 
council and the community and the council's frequent rejection of the 
recommendations of its citizen commissions and boards--as it has once again done in 
this case.

Mike Curley

Let me review a couple of points regarding what are NOT issues.