Mark Sommer in today’s Buffalo News wrote up the saga that is playing out over the planned demolition of 399 Franklin Street. Ralph Salerno’s desire to demolish the building was first posted here in September with several updates since. Sommer provided a fair and balanced story, even mentioned the online petition that we’ve been plugging, but it nonetheless raised my blood pressure a bit.
Amazingly, Preservation Board Chair John Laping goes on record saying the lack of turn-out at the hearing influenced the Board’s decision to allow the demolition to proceed:
“(Laping) questioned why critics didn't speak out before the vote was taken. Only one dissenter - a representative of the Allentown Association - spoke against the proposed demolition at the Oct. 2 meeting.”
To which Cynthia Van Ness, Preservation Coalition of Erie County president, Buffalo Issue Alert organizer, and sometimes contributor to Buffalo Rising responds:
"The real story is that the Preservation Board, which is charged to protect the Allentown historic district, failed to do so. Look at their charter. I would argue they violated their responsibilities in this case."Van Ness blamed the low turnout on the board holding its weekly meetings in the afternoon, when most working people can't attend, and a failure to post weekly agenda items on the City Hall Web site.
"Besides, it seems like there shouldn't have to be a popular referendum on a building where there is already legislation in place to protect it," Van Ness said.
Cynthia hits the nail on the head. The Board dropped the ball and daytime hearings aren’t convenient for much of the public. Agendas are typically posted to the City’s Preservation Board agenda page days, if not weeks, after the meeting has taken place. The public is not aware a meeting is taking place, they receive inadequate notice, have jobs or other commitments, yet is the scapegoat. To be fair, many other boards or legislative bodies have daytime hearings. It is time for the City to consider noticing and meeting changes to encourage citizens to participate and express their concerns. Petitions and letters aren't getting the message across.
Photo credit: CitySky Photography by Nate Farnsworth