Preserve moderate units
EDITOR: To the Windsor Town Council: I’m writing to urge you not to agree to developer Bisno’s request to eliminate the moderate income units from Vintage Oaks / Bell Village. Of course he’d prefer to pay $750,000 and be able to charge market rate rents for them; assuming the moderate income units are $500 per month less, he would come out ahead after only 20 months. I thought it was a mistake to allow him to eliminate the low income units in the first place. Please don’t compound that error.
I imagine the same issue will come up with the proposed Windsor Mill development. Again, I urge you to resist the developer’s entreaties and stand firm with the requirement for inclusion of low and moderate income units.
I also encourage the council to hold off approval of the Windsor Mill development until Vintage Oaks is completed and we see exactly what impacts it has on the community. Studies have been done, but we don’t really know what the traffic will be like with all these new residents.
I suspect there will be a lot more people and cars in the development than the studies predict, because high rents will cause people to share the apartments with more people than expected. More people = more cars and traffic. Please don’t rush ahead until the community absorbs the impacts of the first big development. Money talks with a very loud voice, but you, our elected representatives, should look out for the interests of the average citizen, who can’t find the time or energy to attend council meetings and make their voices heard. Keep focused on what’s best for the community, and don’t be too swayed by slick presentations and visions of increased fees and tax revenues for the town coffers.
Thank you for the work you do; I know you’re all public spirited, because they certainly don’t pay you enough for all the time and energy you expend on the town’s business.
Philip Nereo
Windsor
Allow competitive edge
EDITOR: Kudos to Councilmember Sam Salmon for doing his homework on the ABC licensing sought by the veterinary hospital moving into Bell Village and for his reasoned conclusion to support it. (WT Aug 10 letter, “ABC Permit”)
The idea that Windsor’s wine culture that provides many benefits is mutually exclusive with our strong family values is false. Denial of the importance of our vineyards and wineries to our economy and aesthetics causes us to ignore Windsor’s principal point of differentiation for our businesses — we are in wine country and welcome customers to enjoy its ambiance and its products in a measured and safe way.
The idea that any profit from the use of wine is improper is also flawed. Isn’t profit the inevitable conclusion of satisfying your customers? I hope that Windsor’s town council will allow our businesses to use their competitive edge for their success and support the Wine Country Veterinary Hospital’s request for ABC licensing.
Lynn Reiter
Windsor
Protect eyes during eclipse
EDITOR: Most of us are aware of the total solar eclipse that is to happen in the United States on Aug. 21. While the prospect of seeing this phenomena is exciting, it cannot be emphasized strongly enough that special precautions need to be undertaken to protect your eyes when viewing anything except a total eclipse.
When a portion of the sun is blocked, its brightness may not be enough to elicit our reflex to stop looking at it. Because of this, people tend to stare at the partial eclipse too long. This can cause irreversible injury to the retina that may not be immediately evident. Also, this danger is greater for young people than older people, as younger people have bigger pupils and clearer lenses. Children who watch the eclipse need to be supervised.
To view the eclipse safely, special purpose solar safety filter glasses are needed for every aspect of it except the time the moon completely blocks the sun. NASA and the American Astronomical Society offer links online to reputable companies that market quality solar filters. It is not advisable to view the partial eclipse without the proper filters, but those that do would be wise to only view the eclipse for seconds at a time to avoid permanent eye damage, or to create a pinhole with paper to view the shadow of the event on the ground.
Our vision is precious but somewhat fragile. Please be careful about protecting your eyes and the eyes of your loved ones if you plan to view the eclipse.
Eric J. Kahle, MD, Ophthalmologist
Eye Associates of Sebastopol Medical Group
