 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
Home Resource Center In the News Home Greenbelt Alliance in the News |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
Greenbelt Alliance In the News
November 28, 2002 Hyatt project is smart growth
Letter to the Editor BylineA Dan Walters' column on "smart growth" prompted two letters with opposing points of view on Nov. 21. Dan Fahey of Greenbelt Alliance pointed out that the Public Policy Institute of California survey revealed that 62 percent of Bay Area residents think local governments should "steer growth in to already developed areas in order to preserve open space and encourage the use of public transit." Mort Block of Palo Alto wondered if that would explain why "the local chapter of the Sierra Club has put its stamp of approval on the giant Hyatt Rickey housing/hotel proposal in Palo Alto." Speaking as one member of the Sierra Club team that evaluated the project, my answer is "yes." If environmental organizations are going to remain relevant in high-growth states like California, they must understand the necessity of supporting smart-growth developments, preferably redevelopments, as is the case with the Hyatt. Block asserts that this redevelopment proposal will "create havoc and gridlock," resulting in residents abandoning their cars for bus and bike transport. Clearly that won't be the case, but we have asked the developer to provide a free shuttle to Caltrain -- not only for its employees and residents, but also the surrounding neighborhood that is largely auto-dependent. As Fahey wrote, Bay Area residents support smart growth. That support should be reflected in support for smart-growth projects, like Hyatt Rickeys. Irvin David ### |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
