Comments on: Marilyn Marks Says City Is Dense http://www.aspenpost.net/2008/09/06/marilyn-marks-says-aspen-city-council-is-dense/ Think Global : Post Local Wed, 7 Jan 2009 20:06:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Marilyn Marks http://www.aspenpost.net/2008/09/06/marilyn-marks-says-aspen-city-council-is-dense/#comment-60714 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:48:47 +0000 http://www.aspenpost.net/2008/09/06/marilyn-marks-says-aspen-city-council-is-dense/#comment-60714 Con Man, I have several comments on your misunderstanding of my postion on Burlingame density. I will write back shortly. However, in the meantime, please correct the headline. I did NOT call the CC "Dense". This error was not made by Council. They've made plenty, but this one is not theirs. I have enough trouble getting along with some of them, so please don't fan the flames unnecessarily. Back to you on the content which needs addressing. This does not have to do with democracy. Marilyn Con Man,
I have several comments on your misunderstanding of my postion on Burlingame density. I will write back shortly.
However, in the meantime, please correct the headline. I did NOT call the CC "Dense".
This error was not made by Council.
They've made plenty, but this one is not theirs.
I have enough trouble getting along with some of them, so please don't fan the flames unnecessarily.
Back to you on the content which needs addressing.
This does not have to do with democracy.
Marilyn

]]> by: Michael Conniff http://www.aspenpost.net/2008/09/06/marilyn-marks-says-aspen-city-council-is-dense/#comment-60570 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:24:16 +0000 http://www.aspenpost.net/2008/09/06/marilyn-marks-says-aspen-city-council-is-dense/#comment-60570 Marilyn: First of all, keep up the good work. The fact that you care about all this has made a big difference in the City. But I would take issue with a few things. One is that the Burlingame Construction Experts Group--formed by City Manager Steve Barwick--smacked of window dressing from the very start, a way for the City to SEEM responsive without committing to anything, as your missive now attests. It's awful that the City wasted everybody's time, but were you really surprised by this? Second, my concern was actually very different from yours--the opposite. My concern was the City would vote its Burlingame shares and thus dictate to the current residents what would happen--anti-democratic behavior to say the least. You seem to say that increased density is the answer, regardless of who says what among residents. Be that as it may, you are right (and righteously so) to point out that requiring a 100 percent vote is absurd and even more anti-democratic, but since when did increased density at Burlingame solve anything? The real answer, in my opinion, goes back to my idea of a moratorium so the City can resuscitate a 32-year-old program on its last legs. If not, we will see even more of this time-wasting, going-nowhere behavior. That should come as no surprise. Best, Michael! Marilyn:

First of all, keep up the good work. The fact that you care about all this has made a big difference in the City.

But I would take issue with a few things. One is that the Burlingame Construction Experts Group--formed by City Manager Steve Barwick--smacked of window dressing from the very start, a way for the City to SEEM responsive without committing to anything, as your missive now attests. It's awful that the City wasted everybody's time, but were you really surprised by this?

Second, my concern was actually very different from yours--the opposite. My concern was the City would vote its Burlingame shares and thus dictate to the current residents what would happen--anti-democratic behavior to say the least. You seem to say that increased density is the answer, regardless of who says what among residents. Be that as it may, you are right (and righteously so) to point out that requiring a 100 percent vote is absurd and even more anti-democratic, but since when did increased density at Burlingame solve anything? The real answer, in my opinion, goes back to my idea of a moratorium so the City can resuscitate a 32-year-old program on its last legs. If not, we will see even more of this time-wasting, going-nowhere behavior. That should come as no surprise.

Best, Michael!

]]>