During the meeting, the developer suggested that among the ideas he and his partners considered was <br />to put a car wash where the church had been. He figured neighbors would so strongly object to that <br />scenario, that by contrast, the five-story apartment building would seem like a relief. This made his <br />statement sound almost like a veiled threat - "if you don't accept the enormous footprint of <br />apartments, you may end up with all the crazy busy ceaseless traffic of a car wash." Well, how about <br />neither? That's what I choose. <br />These developers want to put way too many people in a small area. Traffic will be increased significantly <br />in an area with enough congestion already. We, in the neighborhood, know how to navigate current <br />traffic. It is at a maximum threshold for the current streets and their flow. <br />Specifically, I am concerned about several traffic issues: <br />1. How traffic on our own residential streets will be affected. <br />a. Traffic will not be confined to Hilyard, which is already above capacity, especially in early <br />morning and rush hour. Consider the impact on 32nd. Already this is a tough street from <br />which to turn either right or left onto Hilyard at most any time of day. This proposed <br />building would exacerbate congestion even further, perhaps backing traffic all the way up to <br />Harris or Potter at certain times of day. Other streets I expect would be impacted are Alder, <br />Kincaid, Harris, Potter, and University, as people seek ways to escape increased traffic on <br />these side streets. See R-9.8650-C1, F-8, 9, 10 <br />b. Ferry Street would certainly get traffic from those who are unable to turn left from 32nd <br />onto Hilyard. Those drivers (as I have done at times) would turn right, then make an <br />immediate left onto 31ST, and left onto Ferry Street. This does not bode well for that quiet <br />area either. I appreciate being able to walk along Ferry and other streets in that quiet area, <br />without fear of being run over, because currently traffic there is slow and neighborly. I <br />shudder to think of the children walking to school, who will now fear walking on those <br />streets, where there are no sidewalks on which to escape danger. See R-9.8650-A, C-1,F- <br />8.1.1-8.1.4, F-9 <br />c. In a walking neighborhood, how will people safely walk about when density has been <br />changed from small to gigantic? How will our children and elderly get from 32nd and Hilyard <br />safely through that intersection? Of course you may say that they should walk or hobble to <br />33rd or 301h. But you know kids -they won't. And injury or worse will result because of <br />hugely increased traffic loads. See R-9.8650-C1, F-9,G-2 <br />2. How the development would affect parking and safety on our neighborhood streets <br />No matter what developers say about providing enough parking, they will be unable to provide <br />enough parking for both tenants and those who would patronize the restaurants and coffee <br />shops on the ground floor. Our neighborhood would be hit with cars parked in front of our <br />