EDITOR: This is a sequel to my earlier letter to the editor
(Most any housing project makes sense if it is not in your
backyard; Morgan Hill Times, Dec. 10, 2002) regarding a proposed
housing project at the corners of Watsonville Road and Calle Sueno
Street.
EDITOR:
This is a sequel to my earlier letter to the editor (Most any housing project makes sense if it is not in your backyard; Morgan Hill Times, Dec. 10, 2002) regarding a proposed housing project at the corners of Watsonville Road and Calle Sueno Street. The proposed plan has 12 units on a site less than an acre. Though density has been the main issue right from the word go, it picked up more problems along the way. Our community has been closely following this project. We ourselves have evolved in our approach to this topic as truth and more facts kept unraveling.
All the six members of the Planning Commission present at last week’s public hearing unanimously echoed: “this project is having just too many problems.”
It is obvious that the proposed project compromised quality over quantity. To the extent that many vital building codes were violated and amendments were suggested to be made to accommodate these violations. It is insane to let this project pull through. There is more …
Two houses of the proposed project, probably the best ones (also the most expensive ones), will be sold on an open market. Some Planning Commissioners see it as an open sore ready for infection. These two units should be completely scrapped from the plan. Can you imagine the impact of deleting these two houses? Small changes in small spaces lead to magnifying results. In short, this simple step can turn around 50 percent of the code violations.
Also, should be deleted from the plan is a tiered approach. What can happen is, at each level is if there are no local teachers as buyers the houses can be offered to almost anybody (ranging from teachers from different districts, police officers, firefighters, any other civil servants). So there is a possibility that none of these houses would actually be occupied by a teacher. Remember the name -Teachers Housing Project.
The truth is if the building codes are followed strictly, the site can only accommodate six or eight houses at the maximum. Teachers should make this number non-negotiable. In the beginning the City Council lectured and stressed on the necessity to keep MHUSD teachers here by offering them quality homes. This project and the like will in fact make them flee form Morgan Hill. What an anti-climax.
Teachers do not set inferior standards for our kids. So why are they being offered sub-standard housing? They deserve better than this.
As always, we all get what we strive for. Teachers need to speak up. Act now or else you are bound to regret it later. Our community and a whole bunch of sensible people are with you.
Ramana Kumari Devaraj,
Morgan Hill
