A statement to members of the Palmer City Council

To the editor:

AMG and Associates, a corporation based in Southern California, has applied for a rezone of property in southeast Palmer from R-1 to R-4. I am strongly opposed to the rezone request of AMG and am asking the Palmer City Council to reject the request. I object to the rezone for a variety of reasons but for one primary reason. THE REZONE OF ANY PROPERTY IS A SERIOUS ACTION AND SHOULD BE DONE ONLY WITH OVERWHELMING SUPPORTING EVIDENCE AND REASONING. The issues in the rezone of a property involves far greater issues than a simple “who is for and who is against.” The long-term financial and social health of a community and the wellbeing of thousands of people are at stake.

Zoning is a part of a well-organized and orderly community. Zoning laws are enacted for good reasons and should be amended or changed only for extraordinary reasons. There is a real danger of a rezone becoming a precedent that ultimately destroys the basic concerns of the zoning ordinance itself. I am aware of the zoning history of the subject property from the time of its annexation to the City of Palmer. The history is interesting but does not establish reasons for the change of zoning.

CHANGING THE ZONING IS THE KEY ISSUE INVOLVED IN AMG’s PROPOSAL, AND IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT IT IS THE ONLY ISSUE INVOLVED. IT IS THE ISSUE ON WHICH THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE “YES” OR “NO.”

AMG (and others unwittingly) have confused the issue by introducing letters of support. The letters of support are an example of opinions without vetting evidence. Not a single letter of support indicates a process of thorough examination.

IF MATTERS OTHER THAN ZONING ARE PERMITTED IN THE PRESENT DISCUSSIONS, many concerns need to be introduced. The first on the list is “Who is AMG and Associates?” “Who is their partner Pacific West Communities?” AMG and Pacific West are a part of the growing super rich of America. Their collective goal is to “buy up America.” They now own many thousands of rental units across the western United States. One such entity from the lower 48 now owns over 4,000 rental units in Anchorage.

I believe that a healthy small city should be owned primarily by those who live in the community. When the super-rich from the lower 48 buy property in Palmer, ownership is gone forever. Over future years the amounts of money that will be shipped out of Palmer are staggering and unending. If issues other than zoning itself are to be considered, the question of “who is behind it and the long-term economic impact” are of great importance.

The second real concern is the project’s relative isolation. The AMG/Pacific West proposal is correctly called a ghetto. The subject property is surrounded by an ice arena, soccer fields, schools, and light industry. The neighbor to the south is up-scale senior housing. In order to counter complaints from residents of Mountain Rose Estates, AMG is proposing a heavily landscaped buffer and an additional 200 feet of buffer open space. The proposed development will not actively relate to neighbors. A vote for rezone, based on the AMG proposal, is a vote to create a ghetto that will continue for many decades.

Remember that the proposal by AMG is for seniors. Seniors will continue their aging process. Studies show that car owners and drivers will diminish in number as the project matures. Contrary to statements in applications and support letters, residents will not be within walking distance of any needed service. The residents will be living in a ghetto, dependent on the importing of needed services.

The third concern is that AMG/Pacific West has made no substantial effort to be a part of long-term planning for seniors in Palmer. Planning for seniors is a complicated task if the needs of seniors are the number one concern. Any plan must involve a consideration for the needs of people with a wide range of income levels. Over one-quarter of retirees have no income beyond Social Security. AMG/Pacific West shows no concern for that population. They are “cherry picking” a profitable piece of Palmer life. Prior to making their zoning proposal, they made no effort to be involved in the planning processes for seniors in Palmer or with the agencies in Palmer that work with seniors.

I attempted personally to engage Mr. Johnson, AMG’s agent, in conversation. I explained the special need of seniors for community and the need to address this in any building plans that are made. I referred him to Atul Gawande’s best selling book, “Being Mortal.” Mr. Johnson ridiculed me for reading books and asserted “We are in the building business.”

How are residents to access affordable health care? How will their food needs be addressed as they age? These issues have not been addressed with substance.

If approved, Palmer will deal with the AMG/Pacific West project for the next l00+ years and the project will negatively impact the lives of thousands of seniors.

Should not an extensive vetting be done before a “yes” vote is considered? Should MSSS be called upon to explain their proposed role? Should not MSCHH be called upon to explain their vetting role of the proposed project?

If the AMG proposal for rezone concerns are expanded beyond the simple issue of proper use of zoning, every council member should read “Being Mortal.” A simple “no” vote is the most thoughtful, most reasonable vote.