More Dang Choices, Pretty Please

RantWoman received the item below this rant in her inbox this morning. The MoveOn petition refers to discussion of Seattle Mayor Ed Murray summarily doing away with something called the Director's rule. The Director's rule is set by the Seattle Department of Transportation and has to do with "things that go in the public right of way" such as telecomm cabinets.

The short version of RantWoman's view: Mayor Murry should not just try to impose his view with his fiat pen, but the problem does need expedited legislative action to involve stakeholders and make this option for improved broadband to neighborhoods more consistent and efficient throughout the city. This also involves some recommendations about technology choices that the public needs opportunity to opine about as part of its participation in decisionmaking.

The way the current rule works, it can be very difficult for telecomm providers to get agreement because "everyone" within a certain radius has to agree, even far distant absenteed landlords. RantWoman is not up on precise details, but some reforms of this process might be handled legislatively to involve more stakeholders rather than just the mayor's fiat pen.

Also connected with the rule are requirements about making sure, when work involving a certain number of cubic yards of dirt is done that sidewalk, curb cuts, other pedestrian elements are brought up to current ADA pedestrian walkability standards as part of the work. In some cases this can add substantially to the cost of installing telecomm cabinets. RantWoman is ALWAYS interested in improved sidewalks and enhanced walkability! RantWoman does understand a concern about who pays for these upgrades when everyone in a neighborhood benefits. RantWoman off the top of her head has no opinion about what legislation should say about how to address that concern.

So as far as the petition, RantWoman wants to weigh in FOR something and this petition is too imprecise about what it is FOR.

But no, RantWoman does not want just to give telecomm providers carte blanche....

So MoveON, GIVE RANTWOMAN some options, and Mayor Murray, promote a process that includes stakeholders!


Dear MoveOn member,
A MoveOn member named Matt Gurney recently created a petition on our public petition website entitled "Seattle Homeowners should get a say in C-link lawn monoliths"--and we'd like to know what you think of it.

The petition is addressed to Ed Murray, Mayor, and reads:
 Mayor Murray is proposing to dismiss a rule giving homeowners the right to decline Century Link placing a refrigerator sized utility box on the planting strip in front of their home.
The current rule encourages phone companies to put their cabinets on private property or underground.  It also involves property owners in the decision, which takes time. 
But it protects residents from having to face a big ugly box that may diminish their property value and attract graffiti.
Tell Mayor Murray that we want to retain our ability to work with Century Link to site the boxes and not have them forced on us. 
Sign Matt's petition.

Here's what Matt wrote about it:
 After reviewing the available information, I want to make sure that the citizens of Seattle get to have a say in how new technology is brought to their neighborhood/street and it's not left up to the convenience of the provider (in this case Century Link).
Can you click to let us know what you think?
I want to sign this petition.
I don't think MoveOn should support this petition.

We'll decide whether to send this petition out to additional MoveOn members in your area based on your feedback.

In case you haven't heard about it, MoveOn's petition site allows anyone to start an online petition and share it with friends and neighbors to build support for their cause.

Thanks for all you do.

--Milan, Rosy, Manny, Bobby, and the rest of the team


References
Visible links
.. file:///tmp/http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/seattle-homeowners-should?source=mo.mp&id=94200-27280895-lnE7CFx
.. file:///tmp/http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/seattle-homeowners-should?source=mo.mp&id=94200-27280895-lnE7CFx
.. file:///tmp/http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/seattle-homeowners-should?source=mo.mp&id=94200-27280895-lnE7CFx
.. http://civ.moveon.org/signon/no_support.html?petition_id=69959&id=94200-27280895-lnE7CFx&t=2
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