ACL Live at the Moody Theater
Ill-Humored
RECEIVED Thu., May 17, 2018
Dear Editor,
Michael King's column on the Planning Commission is ill-humored and ill-informed ["Point Austin: Purging the Commissioners," News, May 18]. Council Member Alter never said being an architect is a crime or that Planning commissioners are sexual predators. She said an architect is a professional connected directly or indirectly to land development – which is obvious and means that the current Planning Commission is not in compliance with the City Charter. In short, the commission is illegally constituted.
Council Member Alter also noted, that under the city legal department's absurd interpretation that commission members couldn't be removed for any reason, that Council then would not be able to remove a member that was a lobbyist, sexual predator, or that had committed fraud. She didn't say anyone was a sexual predator; she was making the point that Council has the power to remove commissioners for cause. I would note Council Member Alter discussed at length the city's laws allowing commissioners' removal, but you didn't address those arguments. You owe her an apology.
Your false ad hominem attacks on myself and the quo warranto complaint filers are par for your approach. We aren't the issue, Michael. The Planning Commission is the issue. It is integral to the city's land development decision-making and is required by law to make recommendations on all zoning matters and CodeNEXT. We have said for three years the commission is illegally constituted; Council has done nothing. The City Charter limits the commission to only four commissioners connected directly or indirectly to land development, and the commission has seven architects, development engineers, and a builder. I am not ashamed for standing up for a fair, conflict-free, and legal process. What I can't understand is why you are so nasty about all this?
Michael King's column on the Planning Commission is ill-humored and ill-informed ["Point Austin: Purging the Commissioners," News, May 18]. Council Member Alter never said being an architect is a crime or that Planning commissioners are sexual predators. She said an architect is a professional connected directly or indirectly to land development – which is obvious and means that the current Planning Commission is not in compliance with the City Charter. In short, the commission is illegally constituted.
Council Member Alter also noted, that under the city legal department's absurd interpretation that commission members couldn't be removed for any reason, that Council then would not be able to remove a member that was a lobbyist, sexual predator, or that had committed fraud. She didn't say anyone was a sexual predator; she was making the point that Council has the power to remove commissioners for cause. I would note Council Member Alter discussed at length the city's laws allowing commissioners' removal, but you didn't address those arguments. You owe her an apology.
Your false ad hominem attacks on myself and the quo warranto complaint filers are par for your approach. We aren't the issue, Michael. The Planning Commission is the issue. It is integral to the city's land development decision-making and is required by law to make recommendations on all zoning matters and CodeNEXT. We have said for three years the commission is illegally constituted; Council has done nothing. The City Charter limits the commission to only four commissioners connected directly or indirectly to land development, and the commission has seven architects, development engineers, and a builder. I am not ashamed for standing up for a fair, conflict-free, and legal process. What I can't understand is why you are so nasty about all this?
Fred and Dawn Lewis