HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-17-2015 Public Comment Whitney 2Subject: FW: New Ordinance regarding roof usages
COUNCIL MEETING:. S ill MAR 0 9 2015
ITEM NO,: -pUF3 LAG Lmrn nti�►y i
From: Sharon Whitney [whitney.sharon @gmail.com]�
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2015 10:28 AM
To: Marx, Jan
Cc: Carpenter, Dan; Ashbaugh, John; Christianson, Carlyn; Rivoire, Dan; Mejia, Anthony; Gesell, Steve; jarmstro; Keith
Humphrey; Dietrick, Christine; Lichtig, Katie
Subject: New Ordinance regarding roof usages
Jan /Mayor Marx
I read in the Tribune today that you plan to
introduce an ordinance prohibiting people using
roofs for anything other than what they were
meant to be used for and maintenance of them. I
do support City action aimed at controlling the
"brewfing" we are too familiar with in our
neighborhood.
On the other hand, I am approaching a "tipping
point" in my feelings about the effectiveness of
continuing a regulatory approach; it seems to
have no effect on the problematic culture we
face: "having fun" by getting "blotto"
frequently. By- the -way, if you watch KSBY's
video, when the roof collapsed you can see one
boy in the crowd jumping up and down as if he had
just won a Wheel of Fortune prize. In other
words, except for the students on the roof, I
think those in the crowd saw it as an exciting
bit of entertainment.
I wish the Media in our locale took a stronger
editorial approach on the matter. Ditto with the
Chamber of Commerce people. The
international /national attention this event
received cannot be good for our community as a
whole.
Back to regulatory actions: I abhor, for example,
the fact that only 2 citations were given for
public intoxication; were they not all
intoxicated? At the sam& time, I empathize with
the difficulty of a police dragnet approach in
trying to arrest all attendees, etc.
Similarly, I discount that "education" steps have
any better effect. It's one more imposition of a
set of values for which pro- revelers lack any
real respect, even when sober, I'm guessing.
True, leaders and other young people, one -on -one
or in small groups, apologize for misbehavior of
others and will admit to their elders such
behavior is bad conduct, but such statements are
easy; changing a mob mentality /attitude is not.
This is the very opposite of the kind of "civil
discourse" our young leaders are supposed to be
learning.
To be honest, I've reached a point where I don't
know how /what /who will solve the problem of mob -
partying. In today's culture, based on my
neighborhood observations of the fraternity Cal
Poly students surrounding my residence, the mob
partying attitude begins now on Wednesday
afternoons. I do have some questions as a former
university professor? Why are not these students
in class? What role does the academic environment
on campus play in enabling mob "fun "? And should
there be an abolition of permitted social
fraternities /sororities? How can the "gown" folk
step up to the plate to be better neighbors to
the town -folk?
While I am on the subject, I cannot pass up this
opportunity to underscore how this event
illustrates the fear that the proposed Housing
Project South might impact off - campus in ways
that can be objectively measured. It
significantly impacts not only the surrounding
neighbors of Cal Poly who are permanent residents
here, but the City as a whole - -even the county- -
its use of resources. To be sure, we don't want
this stuff in our neighborhood; call it NIBYism,
I don't care - -it's still bigger than that.
Sincerely,
Sharon Whitney
We are all teachers and students for each other.
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