Politics As Usual
The approval by the City Commission, acting as the Board of Adjustment, of Pritam Singh's plan for a dozen vacation rentals at the warehouse at Greene and Simonton in Old Town proves, as if any proof was needed, that when it comes to neighborhoods and property rights, it's politics as usual. The City Commission acted to approve the Singh project despite it having been turned down by City Planner, Gail Kenson. She had denied his request to move the leftover units from the old Hampton Inn, which Singh is turning into condos, to Old Town. Singh then appealed her denial to the Board of Adjustment. Although Kenson supported her denial, the City Commission, acting as the Board of Adjustment, approved (with one dissenting vote) the Singh proposal.
One would have thought that there was no love lost between the City Commission and Singh. However, the Commission keeps approving his projects, including the latest one to bring more transient rentals to Old Town neighborhoods, something the Commissioners are on record as not favoring.
Consistency has not been the City Commission's strong suit. But, it's likely that there is more to this deal with Singh than is being revealed. One can only speculate that the City Commissioners need Singh's help for something and know that if they expect to get it, this deal had to be part of the mix. Our guess is that the Commissioners may think that they will need some helpful testimony from Singh, regarding the transfer of Southard Street from the Navy, in their spat with TAMPOA. Of course, no matter how skeptical one is of the motives of the Commission, we'll never know if the real impetus for the Singh deal was anything other than just good old boy politics. It's Key West, after all. What the Commission does doesn't have to make sense. Don't you just love it?
One would have thought that there was no love lost between the City Commission and Singh. However, the Commission keeps approving his projects, including the latest one to bring more transient rentals to Old Town neighborhoods, something the Commissioners are on record as not favoring.
Consistency has not been the City Commission's strong suit. But, it's likely that there is more to this deal with Singh than is being revealed. One can only speculate that the City Commissioners need Singh's help for something and know that if they expect to get it, this deal had to be part of the mix. Our guess is that the Commissioners may think that they will need some helpful testimony from Singh, regarding the transfer of Southard Street from the Navy, in their spat with TAMPOA. Of course, no matter how skeptical one is of the motives of the Commission, we'll never know if the real impetus for the Singh deal was anything other than just good old boy politics. It's Key West, after all. What the Commission does doesn't have to make sense. Don't you just love it?
posted by Conchette at 11:30 AM
1 Comments:
gee, and you had suggested that we should use public relation activities to negotiate the southard st. issue rather than in the hall of justice. you were right, that is the way to go. this commission clearly responds to public outcry (NOT!). as i said you should have run for the board. we need your insight.
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