Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Your January 29 front page depicts me as "complaining about the appearance of homes in Sisters."

That is incorrect. The material I read at the council meeting and pictures I presented were about how "infilling" with duplexes in single-family neighborhoods has proven wrong and disrupting.

Several planning findings in other cities were in a handout that showed that the basic fabric and stability of the neighborhood is compromised when rental duplexes are added to single-family areas.

"Where new infill development is proposed it should be entirely consistent and compatible with pre-existing developments."

This means putting duplexes in amongst already established single-family neighborhoods flies in the face of responsible planning. Placing duplexes in single-family areas may fit a code but something is wrong with the code.

Mr. Forbes said it can be done right -- I agree -- but not in established single-family neighborhoods.

Duplexes should not be used as "infill." I did provide pictures of two beautiful and tidy bungalows on East Jefferson. They do not deserve higher density rental units next door. Single residential homes that are rented is a far different matter than duplex rentals in established neighborhoods.

Mel Bryan