Dear Editor,
I want to thank Heila Ershadi, Kyle Bailey and Kirstin Peterson for their “no” votes and intelligent comments on the Arches B&B issue. It is obvious their commitment is to maintain safe, quiet neighborhoods and a high quality of life.
“Commercial infringement” (read conditional use) in neighborhoods is an issue that seriously affects the quality and safety of our family’s daily lives and should not be trivialized. We have a monetary and emotional investment in our homes and neighborhoods that we have every right to defend.
The debate over the Arches B&B has exposed Gregg Stucki’s true behaviors. He, like a few other local politicians, believe when the public doesn’t agree with them it is because someone has “fanned the flames” among the rabble. In other words, we don’t think independently or intelligently enough to have valid opinions or concerns of our own.
During his statement at the last meeting, Mr. Stucki accused us of being so worked up over our own concerns (read selfish) we only see the negative. That statement was a cheap shot intended to trivialize our concerns. He should take a look in a mirror.
The citizens who spoke against the B&B or wrote comments were respectful. We are all respected homeowners and heads of households who hold legitimate concerns. We deserved better than the poorly thought out self- serving biased lecture delivered by Mr. Stucki.
For what it is worth, Mr. Stucki’s proudly admits his self-serving bias comes from running a 12-room hotel in a residential area.
His hotel is on a virtual dead-end street in one of Moab’s quietest neighborhoods. That neighborhood and the northeast side of town would be even quieter if his hotel was not there at all. How many cars per year drive several blocks into the east side of town past our homes, children and pets to his hotel that would not drive those streets otherwise? And he voted to add more while trivializing our concerns.
Mr. Stucki should have cast his vote with one word.
John Hartley
Moab
