Council member apologizes for high-density housing approval

Dear Editor:

Here’s a bewildering scenario: A motion on the Dec. 18 Grand County Council agenda fails because it is so flawed that it couldn’t even command a second to the motion.

Yet four weeks later, that same proposal with very few substantive changes is passed 6 votes (for) to 1 (against) by the very same council.

Regarding the High Density Housing Overlay districts:

For those who now have the opportunity to build local workforce housing, I wish you success. May you increase the housing stock for local workers in areas of minimal impact.

For local workers seeking housing, may the plan unfold as it is intended to and may you acquire housing close to jobs and services.

For those whose concerns weren’t adequately addressed and who now have to live with the worry that the life you’ve built in your stable and established neighborhood might be irreversibly disrupted, I empathize with you; I wish I could have done more to spare you the constant worry.

For residents and visitors who, through this action, face an escalating alteration of our landscapes and character of our valley, and a steady degradation of our infrastructure and resources, I apologize. I wish I could have advocated more effectively for a plan that focused on common goals yet addressed legitimate concerns. I’m certain we could have done both.

These thoughts and sentiments are my own: they certainly and obviously do not represent those of the Grand County Council.

Jaylyn Hawks

Moab