Letter to the Editor: Neighbors concerned with proposed Crosshaven development

Editor's note: This is a reader-submitted letter to the editor. To submit your own letter to the editor, send an email including your name to sydney@starnespublishing.com.

I would like to present the other side of the Pursell - Satterfield proposed project.

The article in the November issue of the Vestavia Voice was certainly well written, however from my point of view it is not the whole story.

Are you aware of the 2008 Community Plan in the section on Commercial Centers that states "In the context of planning and zoning decisions, non-residential uses should face other non-residential uses across a street to support cohesiveness and avoid conflicts between neighborhoods and commercial centers."  

This is not at all what is planned.

We are a neighborhood of young families, much like that of Jamie Pursell, and empty nesters, like that of Becky Satterfield, though she is a resident of Mountain Brook.  We enjoy walking with our children, grandchildren and dogs on our streets without the intrusion of more traffic. The proposed development will invade the peaceful quality of our lives and be most disruptive.  Jamie said he doesn't want to "add a single car" to the congestion residents are already frustrated with in the area.  That is laughable as that is exactly what he is doing. He states his parking lot will accomodate 106 cars!

Jamie is also quoted in your article as saying "he has made every effort to meet with the  would-be neighbors of the development".  That is true.  He also stated that "I want to get feedback, I want to hear their concerns and anything that's reasonable that I can change, I want to change, I want to do it".  Well we have asked that the hours of operation between the three businesses be lessened.  We have asked to drop the restaurant because of the hours added to the project and have been told "he can't do that."  I ask, why not? There are so many other compatible businesses that would complement his "vision."  We have also asked that the dumpster's be consolidated to one communal area.  The only concession he has made to date is to move the dumpster associated with the Satterfield Latin American restaurant about 20 feet closer to Crosshaven, which will have an impact on the residents of Canterbury Place directly across Crosshaven.

I dare say neither Jamie nor Becky would want this is such close proximity to their homes.

We as a neighborhood don't have a problem with businesses encroaching on us however, we think it reasonable that these be 9-5 hours of operation.  What Jamie and Becky have proposed  will certainly be much longer hours with much more traffic.  His dream of a garden shop with a  tearoom, antiques and interesting features has no continuity with a Latin American restaurant.  He says "It was the tea house that as so inspiring" and that would be great if it were a 9 - 5 operation.  

--Submitted by Lynn Wilmoth--