I do not think I would like to be an elected official in this city.

She can stop the madness right now by dropping her support of Pyramid's McDonald$ project.

The irony is that early in her political career, Ms. Florida earned grassroots capital with her involvement regarding saving South Side National Bank, redevelopment of Gravois Plaza and joining in with the Southtown Coalition's concerns at Kingshighway and Chippewa. Trouble was, she won an election and had to switch from patriot to statesman.

Joe Daus

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Do either Patterson or French live in her ward?

No, neither of them live in her ward. I really don't get the anger here. The existing McDonald's is hideous and a poor use of the property it sits on, and the new site is a vacant lot.

What is the big deal?

Now I don't know what the original plans for the site were, so can somebody tell me why this is so terrible?

Or is this a manufactured political issue, to attack for personal reasons?

Southsider, check out Steve Patterson's Urban Review for a comprehensive narrative of the problems with this McD's. In a nutshell, though, objections to this location are, in my opinion:

First, the site proposed for the new McD's is, by ordinance, not to have a fast food restaurant. Homeowners in the Pyramid development were assured of this and, likely, would not have purchased their new homes knowing that they would be adjacent to the proposed new store.

Second, the francise owner has operated a sub-par McD's for years. This store has had health and trash complaints and suffers from poor management. He should not be rotely rewarded with a new store when one considers his past acts.

Third, there is a lot with a former Burger King that would make a much better site for this store; rather than take a lot which, by ordinance, cannot include this francise and which will be a nuisance to existing homeowners, it is a better use of resources to utilize the former Burger King location.

"Now I don't know what the original plans for the site were, so can somebody tell me why this is so terrible?"

Behind the curve as usual, Southsider.

Well, I have driven through that strange drive through at that McDonalds, and it sucks, as well as the cleanliness of the place, also sucks. I support moving the McDonald's somewhere else, because I believe that site has better usage than the strange McDonalds.

I agree that the empty Burger King is a better site, and I would be pissed too if somebody put a McDonalds next to my new house. But I don't know if that is worthy of a recall? I guess only time will tell. Thanks for the info Julia.

Nice jab there Smokey Joe, my feelings are really hurt... tear :(

No, I don't live in the 15th Ward. Neither do the developers or franchise owners. Interestingly, most of the property owners that will be adversely impacted also don't live in the 15th ward despite living only a few blocks from Grand.

My role is much different than Antonio French's. He is reporting on the issue, not editorializing as I am.

Yes, the existing drive-thru is awkward. No question about it. Does this mean they should be allowed to relocate anywhere they happen to pick? No, it does not.

The former BK and current Aldi's had to build retaining walls to make best use of their respective sites. McDonald's can do the same if they want to continue to operate in the area. Their refusal to make the necessary investment does not mean we should subject tax-paying property owners with a nuisance.

And, circumventing a prior plan for the area to create "spot zoning" for a single parcel is grounds for a recall.

Steve, no offense, but these plans change all the time, it is rare for a finished development to exactly resemble the intial plans.

"Steve, no offense, but these plans change all the time, it is rare for a finished development to exactly resemble the intial plans."

No offense taken. Yes, I agree they need to have some flexibility. In fact, when the mile long stretch of Grand was blighted in 1996 (some 61 acres from Utah to Meramec) attempts were made to find a new use for the Sears store.

After trying for two years, it was decided the Sears store needed to be razed. In my view, this was a mistake. Had the Sears remained it may have been reused by now. I would have preferred a vacant & boarded Sears to the vacant lot we've seen.

The point is the plan has already been amended, I have no problem with that. Where I do have issues is making a change to the plan for a single parcel, that is known as spot zoning. If we allow to McDonald's to relocate to a site that has never had a drive-thru will we allow the same for Taco Bell? Say Taco Bell buys properties at Grand & McDonald, would that be fine with the adjacent property owners?

Drive-thru establishments are problematic and should not be allowed to spread to parcels where they have never before been.

From Public Defender:

"If we do not unite citywide and help neighborhoods in need, especially ones where the voters are working-class with little time for activism, then the political machine will never be stopped, and reform will not take place," said Duckworth, who does not live in Florida's ward.

###

I wonder if this person understands how patronizing his notion of revolutionary vanguard is. Or, for that matter, how bourgeois it seems. Perhaps those working-class residents of the 15th ward have time for activism, but they don't share his notion that a drive-thru restaurant is the greatest threat to their happiness and property values.

I'm sympathetic to the concerns of the people living in the new houses who will be directly affected, but I wish their self-appointed standard bearers weren't so unbearable.

I have been reading these posts and commented on other sites but I will say again that a person outide of a ward shouldn't be able to decide what is a recallable offense in another ward. I mean we wouldn't let someone from the county start telling us what to do. This is a complete abuse of the system and a waste of time. If you don't like the plans talk to YOUR alderman.

gay teens http://gay-teens.sexjul.com