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<br />Modern Construction Agreement <br /> <br />A petition from downtown businesses shows strong feelings against any <br />project in the city parking lot. The people I have talked to are not going to <br />change their mind relative to this project. It was stated in the extension <br />request that one person that signed the petition said he heard the project <br />would take three years to complete and that Main Street would be closed. The <br />developer did say at an earlier meeting that he wanted Main Street to be a one <br />way street which in effect closes half the street. While the project may not <br />take three years to construct my guess it will be well more than one year. <br />Also I was told about the developer's negative conversation with one business <br />owner that signed the petition against the project. That word has gotten <br />around and it did not help the project's cause. <br /> <br />Existing downtown businesses are my main concern here. Several of them <br />are struggling right now because of the virus. The uncertainty of this project <br />and the potential loss of parking spaces for several months may put many of <br />them over the edge. What downtown business is going to remodel or expand <br />their business if they don't know they will be able to survive loss of parking <br />for several months? <br /> <br />You say most of the signatures on the petition are from downtown <br />restaurants. I count four restaurants (Sunshine Depot, Olde Main Eatery and <br />DaddyO's, Pompeii Pizza) among the 30 businesses that signed. Maybe we <br />should let them respond to the accusation that they don't want this project <br />because they will have to compete against Tipsy Chicken. <br /> <br />Downtown businesses and individual citizens that I have talked to are <br />anxiously waiting the public hearing where they get to weigh in on this issue. <br />I don't plan on waiting 3-6 months to hold that hearing. <br /> <br />Your exclusive agreement has now been in effect for 16 months. What has <br />really happened in that 16 months other then a slide show presentation as to <br />what the project could look like and some soil testing? With all the approvals <br />and public hearings needed to get this project off the ground (and based on <br />what has been done to date) you at looking at another year to get through the <br /> <br />