On R-1 Districts. The Whitewater City Manager, Kevin Brunner, explained the purpose of the R-1 district as a way to preserve single family homes, in light of our low percentage of those homes.
Is he kidding? We have approximately a ratio of one-third single family homes to two-thirds multi-unit dwellings. There is no way that the preservation of existing R-1 districts will shift that balance appreciably in favor of single family homes.
The only way that our percentage of single family homes will increase is through new construction of single family homes. It will take hundreds of new homes to make a significant difference; reclamation of a few older homes from apartment stock will make no percentage difference.
The way to a greater percentage of single family homes will come only from construction of new single family homes. They’ll wind up on the periphery of town.
Enforcement of R-1 standards in the older areas of town may have good purposes; moving the percentage composition of dwellings in the city is not among them.
Slash fees and burdensome regulations for new home construction, and we’ll have a better chance of changing that ratio.
On Neighborhood Associations. The Housing Task Force encouraged the creation of neighborhood associations. These associations will be well intentioned, but when they act on their own, they’ll risk overly intrusive actions toward their neighbors. When they seek action from the city, they find either too much or too little support. When they’re on their own, they’ll risk reprisals.
It’s easy to advocate neighborhood associations, but will the city accept responsibility for any actions that these associations take? That’s improbable; politicians will encourage groups whose actions they will later disavow.
We have come no closer to a solution, for all of this.