Rest assured, City Manager Andrew Neiditz writes in an attempt to calm the very ill at ease Tillicum public over yet a second attempt in as many years to relocate Camp Murray’s gate, and its resultant grievous impact, to the interior streets of the neighborhood.
City staff (has) heard loud and clear the concerns of citizens about maintaining the residential character of Tillicum,” Neiditz continues, suggesting that “the extensive mitigation requirements are a direct result of that concern.”
The conclusion drawn by Neiditz that a roundabout, directional arrows, and speed bumps is to have heard from the residents is not at all an accurate assessment of Tillicum’s angst over this issue.
How can “rest assured” possibly be a correct read of the growing unrest not only in Tillicum but spreading beyond its boundaries to people who don’t even live here but care enough about what matters in-and-to a community not their own?
Is the building momentum for litigation evidence that Tillicum residents are accepting of mitigation?
In the July 2007 issue of “Lakewood Connections” – the city’s publication of happenings throughout the city – Neiditz quoted one of the Army’s top officers as saying “Our values are sacrosanct, but everything else is on the table.” Neiditz then stated, “Our citizens expect and deserve a city government that is ‘value-driven.’”
What values would those be?
What matters to a community – ours, or that of anyone else?
“We would love nothing better than to just live quiet lives, take our kids to soccer & swim lessons, go to work, pay our bills and enjoy our community,” said one of the moms gathered in a living room of like-minded couples in a city near our own this past Thursday night.
But because they can’t, they’re fighting for community values.
So are we.
The Lakewood City Manager, Andrew Neiditz is still dodging the truth. His assistant city manager Dave Bugher listed 62 objections to the Camp Murray gate relocation in a letter to the Washington National Guard back in September 16th 2010. Yet to date, there has been no evidence made public that any of these objections have been addressed.
A round-about? Signs? Speed bumps” These are mitigation measures? I don’t think so. They are not even mentioned in the Bugher letter as mitigations for the internal traffic that will be generated by the proposed gate move. Rather, here is a direct quote from Bugher’s letter as to the absolute minimum mitigation required:
“Portland Avenue-Boundary to W. Thorne Lane. At a minimum, would need to be widened to accommodate two 12 foot travel lanes plus one nine foot parking lane one sind in order to provide parking for existing land uses. The roadway, which is newly completed in conjunction with the sewer project, would need one side widened five feet to 33 feet of pavement. The existing curb/gutter/sidewalk on one side would need to be replaced. The entire street would need to be ground out and overlaid with hot mix asphalt (HMA) The planning level cost for design and construction is estimated at $350,000………this estimate does not account for damages to existiing land uses that may result from loss of additonal on-site parking.”
“North Thorne Lane-Portland to Union Avenue. North Throne Lane….currently consist of two 12 foot travel lanes with two to five foot paved shoulders. This does not meet current standards for a minor arterial roadway……To bring this road up to standard with curb/gutter/sidewalks on both sides as well as associated storm drainage improvements would cost and estimated $850,000.”
Do you see any mention in these passages of a “round about”; “signs”; or “speed bumps” as mitigation measures? No you don’t because they aren’t mitigation measures but rather eye wash. Something else is going on here and it stinks. Follow the money. Camp Murray put $1.2 Million on the table (perhaps a simple addition of $350,000 and $850,000 for totally unrelated work) and the city jumped on it. The fix is in.
The last time I visited Tillicum It appeared to me the only people that would be impacted by moving Main Gate CM would be a very highend developement south of Tillicum. Who is in charge?
Regards Gary Tissot