Why are we so sure South Euclid voters oppose developing Oakwood?

Because they told us! 

Citizens for Oakwood sent out postcards last week to registered voters in South Euclid, and they responded.

For details about the response, read the letter (below) that a member of the Citizens for Oakwood steering committee sent to South Euclid city officials. And he got some pretty snippy answers!

Members of the South Euclid Planning Commission:

Last week Citizens for Oakwood mailed a postcard to every South Euclid household with at least one active voter. This postcard was intended to gauge support for a referendum to rescind the Oakwood rezoning ordinance, should it be approved by City Council. Of the approximately 4500 households contacted, 72 responded that they would support a referendum, while 2 opposed it.

It is illuminating to compare the response to our postcard to the response to the Oakwood Commons brochure mailed by Mr. Schneider. About 1.6% (72 / 4500) of our target households favor a referendum, while about 1.3% (169 / 13000) of Mr. Schneider’s favor building Oakwood Commons.

The McKenna Report interpreted Mr. Schneider’s results as indicating overwhelming community support for Oakwood Commons. We challenged this bizarre interpretation at the time, but had no empirical evidence of our own to present. Now we do.

The results of the two mailings suggest that the community is deeply divided on the issue of Oakwood Commons. Indeed, based on the fact that our positive response rate was slightly higher than Mr. Schneider’s, and that responding to our postcard required more effort (making a phone call or sending an e-mail) than responding to his brochure (checking a box on a pre-paid postcard and dropping it in the mail), it is reasonable to conclude that community sentiment is, in aggregate, against rezoning.

So this Thursday, as you wrap up your hasty revisions to the Comprehensive Plan and prepare to vote on the rezoning ordinance, please keep this in mind: if you vote to recommend approval of the ordinance you are not only guilty of spot zoning but are also, very likely, contravening the will of the community you serve.

Rich Sones