Olde Cotswold Neighborhood Organization (OCNO)

Cotswold Condominium Association - Message about Shopping Center

DISCLAIMER

OCNO is providing information concerning the position being taken by the Cotswold Condominium Homeowners Association. DIFFERENT from OCNO, this group represents the entire group of homeowners and has a legal interest in the proposed Cotswold Shopping Center Re-Zoning.

The following paragraphs come from Jan Abrams who is President of this group. Her views are neither endorsed nor disputed by the OCNO Board. Rather it is the intention of the OCNO Board to make this group’s views available to those who are interested.

Message from President of the Cotswold Condominium Association

Our condominium Association has hired our condominium attorney to submit our Protest Petition to the rezoning of Cotswold Shopping Center because of the planned separate building that would cause serious congestion and safety problems from increased traffic from the addition of the two new businesses at the critically congested entrance at Randolph Road and the effects that this would have on our residents.

After our attorney met with the Planning Commission it was clear that the placement of a new building with a loading dock and additional traffic in and out is not safe or functionally workable in that location. The increased in-and-out traffic, with no traffic light to assist, also means many more accidents as exiting cars have to negotiate this risky exit. Concurrently, there will be more cars exiting on the Randolph Road because of the planned "pork chops" that will be installed to prevent left turns onto Sharon Amity. The increase in traffic that enters the shopping center gives few ways to exit the mall parking lot. The result, we believe, would be increases in vehicle traffic exiting any openings in the perimeters, including our private property.

To say that this would be less pedestrian friendly is to state the obvious. If the city's intent is to increase pedestrian friendly shopping centers this is counter productive and dangerous. The city's theme of "connectivity" and "park once" is out the window!

We may be the only perimeter owners who speak to these issues at the Monday July 17th (6:00pm) City Council meeting but it is going to effect all Cotswold home owners negatively. The perception that people do not want to live near a neighborhood shopping center that is dangerous, congested, and aggravating to use should concern us all because it does effect property values. It is an issue central to what we value and our quality of life.

I am asking you and your neighbors to consider attending this meeting and sitting with us as a "Cotswold Contingency" showing involvement and concern at the City Council meeting at the Government Center on July 17th.

Sincerely,
Jan Abrams
Cotswold Homes Condominiums

Subsequent update from Jan Abrams

The attorney representing the condo group told Jan that the Cotswold Mall owners have offered to exclude the Starbucks drive-thru from the project.