The city is in the process of drafting the Town Center Vision. I hear a lot from a vocal minority they want to limit development in the Downtown core. However, I disagree.

Dear City Council, please zone for 80+ story buildings, dense high rises in the downtown core. Please expand the core several blocks. This would bring a refreshing burst of energy to the city. The loud minority is paying for booths at Mercer Island street fairs and shouting their message about stopping development. That is alarming because the silent majority wants new shops, new jobs, new restaurants, new housing, and new grocery stores. We can’t support certain types of companies like movie theaters because the community is already too small. Leaving the Island is mandatory right now because we don’t support the community and the business district can’t support us without more development.

I want a bigger, more robust community! I like community. The loud hermits on the Island are scaring people with their speeches of lifeless concrete canyons. Frankly, I think the hermits should move to the forest and be happy living alone. Our community needs resources and development to make the city more liveable. Having to leave the Island for something found in Factoria or Rainier kills me each time I have to do it.

Speaking of development, I like the idea of expanding the Park and Ride lot. Several hundred more car spots are needed as the light rail enters the Island. A free community bus should circle the Island and run nonstop. Make it easy – to take the rail to the Island and get to your house should not be more then eight blocks of walking.

Develop, develop, develop, develop!

I would like to encourage people to visit the Island and visit our downtown merchants.

I would also like to see zoning exceptions on the waterfront for restaurants. This could be such a better community if we embrace development. Look at how great the Roanoke Inn is! This adds so much to the neighborhood where I live. Zoning shouldn’t be thousands of houses back to back with homogeneous structure. Create pockets of commerce and the community will embrace it.

Jay Westerdal