Written by I received the note below as a comment on my Bamboo Gardens blog, and I thought it was worth a blog of its own. Clearly, we need to protect existing homes from the impacts of development however we reasonably can. I’m about to experience this again first hand (I’ve been through it before when the condo’s were built behind me). I would like to do more to help others in this situation. Tighter enforcement of the noise ordinance would be a good start (and I’ll work on this), but I would love to get everyone’s ideas for ways to better protect existing homeowners.
______________________________________________
Dear Randy
I just watched my neighbor spend 4,000 dollars to gain back some privacy from the new development next door. It looks great, but it will be years before it provides any real privacy because of the new homes size and height. While the city gorges itself on new development and continues to clear cut, it’s not easy to watch. The big surprise will be when the heavy machinery and construction begins, having a contractor start using a nail gun at 6:00am and continue until 8:00pm is no easy task. Things will get worse when they continue to do it on Saturday. Hoping they will leave you alone Sunday. As far as I am concerned the city could do a much better job about enforcing construction start and stop times. I have lost my privacy and I too have to make a decision. Do I spend $4,000 or move.
RW
Enforce ‘quality of life’ laws.
Larger developments is the price to pay to become a city, and frankly, people need to live somewhere. Might as well be here! I’d love to see the city enforce laws to help weed out the disruptive people – stiff fines for the slum lords that plague our city would be a start. Getting the Renton Housing Authority to clean up it’s properties would be a great help as well.
We can all live close together, if we get rid of the few idiots that make life miserable for the rest of us.