February 26, 2018 <br />TO: Hearing Official, proposed Capital Hill PUD <br />FROM: Faris Cassell <br />2843 Capital Drive <br />RE: CHPUD Approval? <br />I'm writing to urge you to deny the Schirmer-Satre CHPUD application because it fails to <br />comply with approval criteria EC 9.6800-9.6875, EC9.6500, and EC 9.6500-9.6505. <br />The developers of CHPUD portray the Capital Hill neighborhood as charming, quiet, <br />quaint, and unaccustomed to change. I've lived at 2843 Capital since 1982, when a <br />portion of the proposed PUD property was rented to a cult that drew police visits and <br />arrests for suspected murder. There have been a number of new homes built--a recent <br />new home construction [2705 Capital] lasted approximately 18-months and included a <br />porta-potty obstructing the sidewalk for the entire time, a landslide, lines of concrete <br />trucks on multiple occasions, frequent pickups parking in one traffic lane and on the 4' <br />wide sidewalk. Homes on Capital Hill have become rentals to multiple families, <br />traditional and nontraditional families, college students who created party houses, and <br />elite athletes who threw knives at nearby trees for target practice. Airbnb has brought <br />numerous new occupants, congestion, and parking problems. This neighborhood does <br />not see itself as a world unto itself as implied by developer. We have seen as much <br />change as any, and accommodated it with [mostly] good grace. Despite this <br />neighborhood's extraordinarily steep, narrow, and winding streets [Capital Drive has at <br />least 5 blind curves] and almost nonexistent sidewalks, local traffic has accommodated <br />heavy trucks, pickups, motorcycles, bicycles, mini-electric cars, cars that require groups <br />of helpful neighbors to push them up icy blind curves and driveways, day and night. <br />Capital Hill sees more walkers, hikers, bikers, dog walkers, and families out for a walk <br />than most, because of its proximity to Hendricks Park and lovely city and sunset views. <br />We have lived with frequent change, respected property rights, and helped each to <br />accommodate difficulties caused by Capital Hill's unique terrain and history of poor <br />street planning decisions. <br />However, this CHPUD plan is not a small nor a single property issue that neighbors can <br />accommodate and manage simply with a willing attitude. The proposed 34 new lots <br />would throw more than 5x the traffic onto Capital Drive from the dead end to the <br />dangerous, intersection with Cresta de Ruta, and 3x more traffic past the breathtakingly <br />steep, no-sight distance intersection with Alta Vista Dr. to the 5-way intersection. Both of <br />these street segments are within one quarter mile of PUD boundaries. The sheer <br />density of this final version of CHPUD is an assault on neighbors' continued safe and <br />adequate use of city services, public streets, and our own private property-a collision, <br />