The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

So I’ve decided to dedicate an entire page to this issue as it stands out to me as the biggest issue in our ward today. While I won’t bog you down on too much on the history of this project (you’ll find links below if you’re curious), I will tell you that it’s been botched by the city and has eliminated the voice of the community. It’s also the issue that has brought me in this race, the people in ward 3 feel their voice isn’t being respected and after attending and watching recordings of the council meetings from the last year I understand why. The city council seems to want to represent the small group of, admittedly, great people who regularly engage in committees and meetings. Yet a grass roots group that is actively trying to do the will of the community are silenced and demonized. The council wants to represent the citizens of Lakewood who already agree with their vision- the rest of us they are ”leading”. I don’t think this is being done by the council members out of nefarious purpose, it’s being done because the belief they know how to direct our lives better than we do. That’s not who I am. What works for my family may not work for yours. It’s not for me or any elected official to direct the decisions in your life and I respect the passion and intelligence of the people of the Save Belmar Park and Save Open Space groups. If you are reading this and you are part of either group I want to thank you for doing what you think is right, that’s the most important thing any of us can do.

For those unaware these groups authored a citizen initiative and petitioned an ordinance to increase parkland dedicated to the city from developers and eliminate the fee in lieu, the system that allows developers to pay the city directly instead of dedicating land for park designation. While the intention of this was not to stop development in Lakewood, that is what it has done. I understand the legalities of what the representatives of this group are saying, and I suspect that they may understand ordinance law better than our City Council, but the reality is how the ordinance is being applied. And that is why I don‘t support this ordinance now. I did sign the original petition but I did not fore see this consequence.

Now I do not agree with the actions of the City Council either. Many of who saw the consequence at the time of the petition. At the vote on this citizen ordinance the council passed it, not because they believed in it but because (by their telling) they knew it to be illegal and it would be thrown out when challenged in court. So the members of the council who voted in support of this ordinance knowingly shut down building in our city, with all the benefits and jobs that provides, because a rejection of the ordinance would have meant a vote from you and me. While they use cost of that election as a justification for this decision (they estimate it at $300,000) they didn’t actually compare this monetary savings against the cost to defend this in court, which now has increased due to the hiring of an outside attorney, or the losses in permitting and registration fees.

 But the real justification is the complexity of this ordinance they believe is too much for the Lakewood voter and their fear we would make the wrong choice.
This is wrong.
This is wrong.
This is wrong.
Even while I’m typing this I am becoming angry and my hands are shaking. If the Council members believe in what they say they should have been on the sidewalk across from the petitioners originally explaining to all of us why this ordinance was an over reach. If they believed in their positions this should have been sent to the voters and a case should have been made to you and me why not to vote for this ordinance. But what happened instead was the Council, not Save Open Spaces Lakewood, chose to freeze all permitted construction in this city since.

That’s not me. If I would’ve understood what was going to happen I would have been on the street, in front of the grocery, in front of the library, and knocking door to door to explain my position.

I don’t want to lead you as a Council member. We have so many leaders these days that I don’t know if anyone is left to follow. What I want to do is to represent you, and your interests, the best I possibly can. The only way I can do this is by trusting you. I believe in your intelligence and in your vote.

Now back to what to actually do on this development. Honestly, there may not be anything any of us can do at this point. The shuttered building is a wreck and needs to be torn down- just like 3 years ago. Would another citizen inititated ordinance be enforceable to set aside a buffer from the building and the park? God I hope so and I support that but suspect the issues of passing such a law after plans were submitted would mean the project wouldn’t be subject to that law. I think at this point the only option I would have is to call the developers and try to open a dialogue and find compromise between the project and the community. The project being built directly on the sidewalk of the park is a big issue and the building should be pushed back. Is there room to negotiate the number of units? I doubt there is much that can be done on a council side but if you don’t ask you don’t know- right? I’ve called Kairoi, the developer, and they seem to not return communications anymore. With a building site that has sat as a danger to the community for so long maybe we it’s time we start talking condemnation and the city taking this thing over- maybe it’s just too big of a project for them. Hopefully they have a change of heart and the spirit of cooperationwith Lakewood returns.