An Open Letter to Mayor Mike Summers Regarding Grace Avenue

[marklingm]

I'm not sure why I was copied on this email, but here it is:

From: Mark Buckley
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 9:47 AM
To: "Summers, Mike"
Cc: [Redacted lengthy list of email addresses - including The Lakewood Observer, elected officials, and other media outlets]
Subject: Grace Ave.

Mayor Summers, I have a few questions regarding your update to the residents of Grace Ave.

1. Why is DDM soliciting information from truck drivers regarding traffic flow instead of dictating to drivers that they must exit and enter the DDM site from Detroit. That is what DDM promised to the Planning Commission on 6 separate occasions (you and Mr. Siley sat there and listened to those concessions/promises just as we did). It's obvious that given the power dynamic between DDM and its vendors, if DDM insisted on all truck traffic staying within the site that would become the reality in very short order.

2. Why do you need a traffic study to tell you about truck traffic? We are not contesting car traffic on Grace. We are simply asking that the promises made in front of the Planning Commission regarding truck traffic be upheld. You were presented with ample photographic evidence that there is heavy truck traffic on Grace, including the DDM semi, which as of last week was still using Grace Ave to enter and exit the site. That's 5 months of truck traffic that we were told, that the city was told, would never be on our street. Even Mr. McConnell (the CFO of Drug Mart) acknowledged on Cleveland.com Sept 27 2013 - "If our truck is going on Grace, it's not supposed to, I would rectify that, We haven't heard about that. If it's our truck, they know they are not supposed to do that". He went on to say "If it's a vendor of ours, if I knew who the vendor was, we would deal with that the best we could as well." Despite the clear commitment from Mr. McConnell trucks continue to exit and enter on Grace. You are aware of this problem. Mr. McConnell is aware of this problem and yet nothing is being done.

3. Almost a month ago two dozens residents of Grace, your constituents, attended the Committee of the Whole meeting. We were there to give voice to our concern that truck traffic on Grace was having a very negative impact on our quality of life. Truck traffic that we were told repeatedly by DDM representatives would not be on Grace. So my question to you Mayor Summers is: given that Drug Mart promised no trucks on Grace and given that we have told you on numerous occasions that those trucks pose a serious problem for us, why have you done absolutely nothing to get Drug Mart to comply with their promises . Why have you not stood up for your constituents, your neighbors, and told Drug Mart no trucks on Grace. Even if it is true that the city cannot enforce the promises made by DDM, as Mayor you clearly have considerable influence with DDM. Why are you not using that influence to support your constituents?

4. Finally just to refresh your memory, here are 2 of the instances where, in front of the Planning Commission, DDM in an effort to obtain conditional use promised no trucks on Grace:

1. "Limit our truck traffic to Detroit. We've done it. All truck traffic comes in here, goes out, backs into the loading dock, and goes back out Detroit. We've eliminated all truck traffic from Cohassett and Grace."

2. "Real quick, just to address Kevin McDonough, the conspiracy theories, the trucks are not going to be on Grace Road. We've decided to keep those inside the lot, and that's something that can be enforced."

With all due respect,

Mark Buckley

[marklingm]

The discussion continues at http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12310.