Can’t people of Carmel decide what’s best?
I was interested in the article about the new Gramercy development in Carmel (“Carmel OKs controversial development,” Aug. 22). The fact that the City Council voted to approve the development, in spite of considerable community opposition, was no surprise; it seems that developers always win in the end.
One just has to drive around Carmel to know that the priority is to develop the tax base. Every main street is being widened; the schools are bursting at the seams. The people of Carmel seem to have no say in what our community is destined to become. Anyone who drives down Keystone in the morning knows exactly why adding more traffic seems insane.
I was surprised, though, to hear Mayor Jim Brainard say his position so clearly at the meeting, in front of so many constituents and the press. His remark was: “The council was very courageous in looking beyond all the people in the room. They voted on what’s best for Carmel’s future.”
My question is: “What happened to the ‘people’ getting to decide what’s best for their future?”
Sandy Bennett
Carmel
This is the kind of thing that makes you wonder how Jim Brainless, er, Brainard, keeps getting reelected mayor of Carmel. Every time I drive up there I wonder how the hell the city’s going to pay for all the upscale upgrading it’s doing.
Makes me damn glad we didn’t move north, although had we done so, we would have moved to Westfield or Sheridan — never, ever to Carmel. Property taxes up there are going to soar, sooner or later.