Many people have expressed concerns about the proposed Fairfield Residential project.  Unfortunately, it is clear that very few people have the time or knowledge to do anything about their concerns, even if they wanted to.  Not having been involved in public processes in the past and busied by the need to pay mortgages and care for families, residents rely more on others, or, as I like to put it, each other.  Even if you go to City Hall, who do you talk to?  What’s the proper process?  How does one get on the Planning Commission agenda?  What happens when the people at City Hall disagree with or contradict one another?  Why does this happen so often?  Where do you find the appropriate documents for a project?  If the planning department staff does not get back to you, what’s the next step?  If you don’t know yourself, you find someone who does.

I talked with the editor of a local newspaper last week.  She held the attitude that if residents didn’t care enough about their community to read the newspaper, browse the internet, watch the news, attend City Council and Planning Commission meetings, or call and write to the City, it was not anyone’s job to hold their hands.  But societies are based on public responsibility as well as individual responsibility.  That’s why we have newspapers and City Councils in the first place.  Isn’t it?  While it would seem nice to have well-informed, extroverted, public speakers and petition writers living in every household, we shouldn’t exclude households if they don’t.  And people don’t NOT read the newspaper, NOT watch television, NOT go to City Council meetings, and NOT call the city because they don’t care.  She softened her view a little after some back-and-forth, and we had a very good discussion afterward.  She probably still thinks that I am a bit silly, though.

This is a reminder that as long as we can rely on each other, no resident has to struggle alone or in isolation.  The Pepper Tree Neighborhood Association steering committee is committed to making your opinions and concerns known through the proper channels.  All you have to do is tell us what those opinions and concerns are.  Read our newsletters to find our numbers and e-mail addresses.

If you can’t find them or are too tired, you can still write to me: kevin at liveforeverodt.com (but you have to edit the address yourself).  And thank you to all who already write.