Council statement 2-8-21
Murray Bilby
2424 Churchill Road
If I speak quickly, it is because of the 3-minute limit and the conclusion is most important.
Listen carefully to what I say, not what you think I said.
Let me state upfront, I think that the Westinghouse property must be developed. Objecting just because it is a change in the status quo is not an acceptable response, we must be open to change. On the other hand, we expect the developer to provide an acceptable proposal for the area.
The latest Hillwood proposal of 630,000 ft sq is not acceptable. It changes none of the consequences and simply reverts back to what they planned in the first place before presenting the 830,000 ft sq foundation.
Two things are leading to a potentially negative resolution, where, neither the borough and its residents, nor Hillwood, are going be satisfied.
First—the borough needs to go back to basics and determine the rules, the parameters, which we can accept from any given developer, without implied threats to operating under the vagueness of previous ordinances, and with the full input and participation by the residents.
Churchill is small and compact, just like a little Swiss canton, where direct consensus should govern these decisions.
Second—Hillwood should admit that its proposal, so far distorts the ordnances, as to be laughable, were it not so serious a threat. They know it is far beyond reason.
And let me also be clear, if Hillwood decides to build “as of rights’, we don’t really want to tie up any project for so long that we all have grey beards before resolution. Buchanan Ingersoll is not the only major firm downtown with whom I have worked and have relations.
So, let’s find something that makes sense for all of us.
As a first step, I suggest you all read a book. How Real Estate Developers Think.
I suggest you either check it out the library or buy a copy of it, You can find a used copy for about 35 dollars. It is heavily weighted toward the world of urban property developers of condos and high rises but does give you, as board members, insight, that can help the borough come to the best use option for the property.
Then we need to start all over again, with new rules, so that Hillwood, or any other developer, can be creative, and come up with a proposal, we can all accept.
I urge the council to reject the Hillwood proposal given last Wednesday to the Planning Commission and end all discussion until we can come up with those rules.
Then, since they were first to express interest, we give Hillwood the first option to make a proposal under the new rules so that we can work together, and, expeditiously bring new value to the Westinghouse property. And I think it is doable in just a few months.