Why did the Springfield City Council approve rezoning the Patrician Mobile Home Park? Why, when its Planning Commission carefully determined rezoning was not in accordance with the City’s policies, plans and testified twice before Council to confirm it?
Why, after it heard testimony from over 60 people from this City and read letters explaining the negative consequences of such action?
Why, when it knew it would cause 130 senior Springfield residents to lose their homes and neighborhood of 50 years, and be left with totally insufficient compensation and nowhere to go?
What a disgrace to realize our powerful City Council can be manipulated with idle threats from a rapacious developer who wants his own way. Does this set a new precedent in Springfield or is it politics as usual?
Who will take action to pass laws protecting us from being forced by developers to abandon our homes without adequate compensation? How many more manufactured home parks will meet a fate similar to the Patrician?
These are a lot of questions without a lot of answers, but our City would be remiss not to respond.
The City Council made a determination that gave itself cover – but made the lives of citizens worse. This is the essence of the problem. Politics doesn’t work if the system can be manipulated to disadvantage the community.
Legally, laws must be written and practiced to protect manufactured home parks. Portland and Eugene laws appear on the right track.
Will Springfield City Council step up to the problem or continue to choose the easy way out?
Joelle Sherman,
Springfield
