Readers comment on increasing density in Gainesville, political vandalism and more
Faculty need privacy
In response to Ron Cunningham's most recent column: University of Florida faculty already live close to campus and that is why we are fighting this City Commission so hard on this bogus plan to turn our neighborhoods into even more rental properties for students.
We need privacy, boundaries and space. We love our students but need some down time at home with our families, or alone. The quality of single-family neighborhoods is one of the reasons we came and one of the reasons we’ve stayed. Indeed, a lush canopy, interesting architecture, lots of wildlife, and being walking or biking distance to the office are big selling points for UF.
We’ve already had enough threats to our quality of life — huge student dorms, parking garages being built next to us (with no say), and two non-owner-occupied accessory dwelling units now permissible. The last thing we need are quadruplexes with negligible setbacks and unlimited occupancy “densifying” our neighborhoods further.
I also resent the way that this is being unilaterally forced on us in the middle of summer, when most of us are gone. Mayor Lauren Poe and his City Commission majority refuse to do phone-in calls (cost prohibitive, but OK to take a junket to Iraq) yet have the nerve to preach about inclusion.
Betty Smocovitis, Gainesville
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Revise the rules
Single-family zoning in Gainesville doesn't have to be scrapped to provide more housing in town.
I understand that under the current rules, additional residential units can be added in the single-family zone, but the procedure to add a simple garage apartment that wouldn't hurt the neighborhood is so onerous that it isn't done. Just revising the rules would help add affordable housing, provide rental income to present homeowners and increase property values.
One onerous rule to scrap: additional parking space. Not all low-income renters have cars! Why not allow additional housing without parking for the walkers, bikers and bus-riders?
Joan H. Carter, Gainesville
Defending UF
The latest in The Sun’s recent procession of pieces criticizing the University of Florida (“UF ignores human cost of actions” on July 19) seeks to disparage university President Kent Fuchs’ recent defense of UF, although his name is conspicuously absent. No evidence of “human cost” is offered, but the writer does reference “such presidential giants as J. Wayne Reitz, E.T. York, Bob Bryan and John Lombardi.” While Bob Bryan certainly served honorably as UF’s interim president for several months in 1989 and ’90, I doubt that he would think he belongs on this Mt. Rushmore of presidents of UF.
The writer cites work done by Dr. Bryan in the late 1970s. Anything occurring at UF at that time happened during Robert Q. Marston’s term as our university president. (Facts matter and should be checked, even for opinion pieces.) I believe any of these gentlemen mentioned would have rushed to defend the university’s reputation against scurrilous political accusations, whether from the left or the right. I applaud Dr. Fuchs’ efforts to do so.
Bob Jaye, Gainesville
Another outstanding year
A great big congratulations to the Buchholz High School Math Team on winning another national championship. I believe this makes 14 championships out of the last 15 competitions. They are beating schools from all over the nation and beating them handily.
Kudos also to their math teacher, Will Frazer, for another outstanding year and for all the hard work he puts into teaching these teens. Once again, well done!
Kathy Shoucair, Gainesville
Diversity of viewpoints
In response to the vandalism of Nathan Skop’s signs: I never ceased to be amazed at the level of discourse in local politics. Here in a county totally controlled by Democrats, the minute there’s someone who diverges from the permitted orthodoxy, they get smeared, and not based on any real merits.
I’m not a Donald Trump supporter but I think any healthy local government has some diversity of viewpoints. I’d say the same thing about “red” counties utterly controlled by Republicans. It’s a shame so many here disagree.
Dan Richman, Gainesville
Off-the-subject attack
I read with great interest Stafford Jones' July 21 reply to Susan Bottcher’s July 17 letter where she outlined Jones' political shenanigans.
I was expecting a reasoned rebuttal refuting the facts but instead was treated to an off-the-subject ad hominem attack against Bottcher.
In my experience, when people respond in such a fashion to the presentation of facts, the facts are usually true.
Greg Nikolic, Gainesville
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Letters on increasing density in Gainesville, political vandalism, more
