Comments on: Hancock Bank rezoning denied

By: AllyWally

AllyWally — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:49:00 +0000

Thank you to the Council for their denial. This was and is- a case of pure deception and greed. Those poor homeowners were absolutely in the right, and it is shameful they had to work so hard to defend their neighborhood boundary and residents. What is the forum, to ensure that the non-compliant bank itself, is prevented from any further expansion of the site the bank sits on? Will anyone
ensure that they don’t continue their bad acts. Please keep a watchful eye on Hancock Bank. They are totally disreputable. The bank even has the audacity to advertise to prospective commercial land developers, that if they have a banking relationship with Hancock, they can provide them with expertise in development areas such as expertise in facilitating land RE-ZONING with the City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let, there be no question, despite the ambiguity of the discussion last night, that Ms. Morris said in the initial planning board meeting, at which the board denied the bank its’ rezoning request, that Bank itself was in non-conformance with the current zoning when it erected its building- and, that the bank is currently non-compliant.

Steve Geci said it plainly, we passed the city departments reqirements. But, this is the problem. The developers put the cart in front of the horse. Zoning first. Then you can visit the city deprtments. They fool the city departments, as if the zoning is a done deal, then use the city departments approval as best evidence to support their re-zoning requests. And, then everyone is fooled or confused. They count on that. In part, that is what they did with the bank itself. The poor residents were given four minutes to plead their case. And, the Mayor cut them off. Those three residents “had standing”, they weren’t just members of the public. This was a quasi-judicial setting. Due process was the
order of the proceeding!!!!! Wrong, Mr. Mayor. Like Mr. Geci, they deserved to be heard in the matter most efficient for them. Note for future quasi-judicials!

A wonderful outcome for the residents of such a great neighborhood, and for the city. Thanks to the evening’s proceeding, the land will forever be known as the “Bermuda Triangle”. How apt. Spread the word……. And, a most sincere thank you to the Council for putting PEOPLE and the neighborhoods in which they live- first.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:01:30 +0000

I agree James.

Jerralds, always the sell out on resident issues, needs to go.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:59:34 +0000

Sam Hall laughed and said the reason we got into this mess is now in Auburn, Alabama.

Kevin Cowper

-A bank was not allowed so Cowper’s solution was to allow a financial office = bank.

Thank you Auburn Alabama and good luck with that one.

By: James

James — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:11:02 +0000

Jerrald’s always sides with negative redevelopment projects against residential property owners. Who is voting for this guy? Are they asleep in his district? There are numerous vacant commercially zoned properties and abandoned strip malls etc.that the owner could have purchased/redeveloped. It’s bad enough that they scammed the current bank on that property when it isn’t allowed. It doesn’t make sense to change the zoning. The current zoning allows offices which is a nice buffer next to residential zoning. The city would be crazy to change the zoning and negatively impact surrounding neighborhoods. Personally, I tired of developers buying cheap land because it has limited uses, and then trying to rezone to higher uses so they can resell and make a killing at the expense of the taxpayer.