Ralph Heun, a 38-year resident of New Berlin, will be blogging about issues of concern to the New Berlin Citizens for Responsible Government, an organization that promotes fiscal responsibility among all units of government.
From Dave Ament. 7th District Alderman
Dear fellow Aldermen,
I apologize for not being available for the September 25, 2007 Common Council meeting. Because I will not be there to speak in person I needed to make this appeal to you by email.
At the Monday, September 10, 2007 Plan Commission meeting Attorney Jim Gatzke requested yet another extension of the Deer Creek Inn Planned Unit Development (PUD) that will expire on January 8, 2008.
You will remember the last time a PUD extension was requested for this project I asked that it be denied in order to inform the residents and neighbors of two major changes to the PUD. Those two major changes were to double the height of the building and the addition of a water park. The residents and neighbors were never formally notified of these changes, a Public Hearing was never held and the Common Council never was part of the decision making process.
Whether you agree with the changes or not it would be hard to understand that you, as elected representatives, would approve this extension and its changes without allowing the neighbors a chance to express their opinions.
The last time this PUD extension came to us at Council, the majority of you told me that you approved the PUD extension do to the threat of a lawsuit...don't let them do it again. This time there is no legal reason for you to be intimidated. This time you must demand that the residents and neighbors are officially notified and have a chance to voice their opinions, to the Alderman of the District and the rest of the Council. That can only happen if you (the Council) deny the extension.
If the PUD extension is denied the City and developer will be required to hold a Public Hearing before construction can begin. This PUD should have come in front of the Common Council when all the changes were made earlier this year. The Council should now let the PUD expire and let the Developer bring the plan back and allow the process to work as it should have earlier this year.
I voted for two previous extensions to this PUD because there were no changes to the original PUD. I am now opposed to this project because the public and the Council were bypassed, by political maneuvering, when major changes were made to the PUD. You now have a chance to change that by voting no for the extension.
Please deny this extension and let the process work as it was designed too.
Dave Ament
7th District Alderman, New Berlin
262-544-4534
dament@newberlin.org
