The Ol' PARD Two-Step

Cynthia "Impartial Private Citizen" Hosick is at it again. In a front page story in yesterday's Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Hosick was quoted as being against the conditional-use permit for the Pullman Foursquare Church to use the old Cordova Theater. Perhaps she is envious of the current New Saint Andrews zoning fiasco over in Moscow.

"Churches shouldn't be taking up space in the center of downtown," said Cynthia Hosick, a local resident and activist. "I'm not against churches -- I don't think any of us are -- but I am for a defined area for retail and entertainment downtown."

As usual, the Daily News failed to mention Hosick's well-known PARD affiliation and status as Judy Krueger's campaign manager. How is that not relevant?

The article continues:

Several of the residents who attended the meeting expressed their belief that a church is not a compatible use for the downtown business core. Concerns include parking in the area local businesses and a limited amount of commercial retail space for businesses that would generate tax revenues for the city.

Thank God for Keith Bloom pointing out the obvious:

Keith Bloom, co-owner of Cafe Moro and a city council member, said he would be grateful if churchgoers decided to walk across the street for a cup of coffee after their Sunday morning service.

Oh, where to start. "Churches shouldn't be taking up space in the center of downtown" I guess that's news to the members of Pullman Baptist Church. Who is Cynthia Hosick to judge what is appropriate in town and what is not? Was there some secret vote I missed where she was elected Mayor? Unbelievable.

Here is my question for Ms. Hosick. PARD has consistently applauded Duane Brelsford, Jr. as a "model of responsible development" by "providing both housing and businesses that are needed locally, while maintaining the character of Pullman." Yet, it was the opening of Brelsford's Pullman Village Centre Cinemas two years ago that spelled the doom of the Cordova as a movie theater. Where was the outrage then? In addition, the Cordova is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We all know how much PARD believes in preserving historic places, as witnessed by all their letters to the editor about the Pullman City Cemetery (which ISN'T on the Register, by the way). How can they applaud Brelsford and bemoan the loss of the Cordova? That was a local downtown business closing that had NOTHING to do with Wal-Mart. Could it be that the ever-changing tastes of consumers cause some businesses to thrive and others to fail? Nahhhhhh. It's more fun to blame Wal-Mart.

Perhaps after Ms. Hosick and her PARDners raise the tens of millions they need to put in a technology park on the proposed Wal-Mart site, they can buy the Cordova building.

The hypocrisy of these liberal anti-everythingers is stunning. Wal-Mart's proposed parking lot is "too big" and will lead to "air, water, light and noise pollution." Yet for the Pullman Foursquare Church, there are not enough parking places downtown and businesses will lose customers if churchgoers are taking up the spaces (who buys quilts on Sunday morning anyway??) Oh, and let's not forget the church won't generate sales tax revenue for the city! Aye yie yie!

In other news, the Whitman County Commissioners finally approved the Moscow-Pullman corridor for development after 20 years of debate.

PARD states on their website:

We applaud the recent decision of the Pullman City Council to resist County Commission pressure to extend services to the Moscow-Pullman highway. We believe a far more prudent and economically lucrative option for Pullman would be to push development of any county properties south of town on the route to Lewiston/Clarkston.

Yet no PARD members showed up at the public hearing to protest. These are the public hearings PARD claims never get held by our undemocratic local governments. The commissioners had a nine inch stack of proposals to hand out just in case.

I personally believe that as soon as the Wal-Mart issue is decided, they will fold up their tents faster than Cougar bowl hopes disappeared last Saturday.

However, if PARD does try to fight corridor development, the logic will be twistingly amusing:

- We are not against growth, just Wal-Mart
- The Wal-Mart site is the worst possible location. The ditch, err, wetlands, will be negatively affected by the stormwater runoff, the historical D-Day cemetery will be encroached upon, and the increased traffic will block all ambulances from coming to the hospital and endanger both Kindergarteners and Grandmas.
- Therefore, nothing can ever be built on that site, as it would have the same problems, including Democrat-donatin', union-lovin' Costco.
- An evil Wal-Mart Supercenter will now be built in Lewiston. This Supercenter, in addition to the L-C Valley's Costco, K-Mart, Home Depot, and Lewiston Mall will keep L-C shoppers local - so much for developing south of town
- The only large area of land really left to build on that is zoned commercial is along the Moscow-Pullman Corridor
- Traffic shouldn't be a problem along the corridor as the state will begin a $28.5 million four-laning of SR 270 next year
- Stormwater shouldn't be an issue, as only the north side of SR 270, away from Paradise Creek, will be developed for retail and commerical purposes
- There are no schools, hospitals, retirement homes or cemeteries along the corridor (who knows, maybe we need a ground-penetrating radar survey to look for unmarked graves)
- We are still against corridor development, but we're definitely not anti-growth!

Perhaps this is why no one from PARD bothered showing up last night.

Oh, and while we're "applauding," as PARD so loves to do, I applaud Mark Bordsen, Whitman County planner, for the best quote of the year:

"The county really needs sales tax revenue. A house doesn't support that."

Mr. Bordsen said that there have been some confidential meetings with businesses looking to locate in the corridor. Can anyone say "Target?"

Hat Tip: April Coggins