2008 Woodie Awards
3-person committee campaigns Issue 20
Lisa Switzer
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: Community
After a city council vote to put a change for the Charter Amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot, a new campaign and committee have formed to inform voters of the issue-Citizens for a Vibrant Uptown.
The Charter Amendment was originally passed by the city of Oxford in 1979 and ordered that the city must limit the number of dwelling units to three units per property lot in the uptown district of Walnut to Church streets and from College to Campus avenues.
Although several members of the city council endorse this change, the real campaign for this amendment comes from a separate citizens committee called Citizens for a Vibrant Uptown. Thus, the city has progressed with this amendment since August in several different ways. It is now on the ballot and has an active campaign surrounding it.
According to Vice Mayor Prue Dana, the issue is not well known within the Oxford public, so the committee has sent letters to inform the community of the ballot issue.
The committee of Citizens for a Vibrant Uptown is comprised of City Councilor Alan Kyger, Dana and Steve Flee, an Oxford resident.
The committee is involved in the campaign and includes the campaign slogan of "Yes on 20," referring to the amendment being Issue 20.
"I hope that students are out there voting for this because it will allow for more and varied businesses uptown," Dana said. "It benefits the community of Oxford as well as students."
According to City Councilor Alan Kyger, because the first floor of these uptown buildings must be kept commercial, property owners are subdividing the lots. The restriction limits the number of dwelling units by property instead of by lot size. If this change to the Charter Amendment passed, therefore, the restriction of dwelling units would no longer always be limited to three.
The issue of residential units, however, is not the only aspect of the issue. Because property owners are dividing the lots to allow for a greater amount of residential area, they are also dividing the area for commercial space. This division often leaves the commercial area large enough for a unit like a sandwich shop, and not larger businesses.
The Charter Amendment was originally passed by the city of Oxford in 1979 and ordered that the city must limit the number of dwelling units to three units per property lot in the uptown district of Walnut to Church streets and from College to Campus avenues.
Although several members of the city council endorse this change, the real campaign for this amendment comes from a separate citizens committee called Citizens for a Vibrant Uptown. Thus, the city has progressed with this amendment since August in several different ways. It is now on the ballot and has an active campaign surrounding it.
According to Vice Mayor Prue Dana, the issue is not well known within the Oxford public, so the committee has sent letters to inform the community of the ballot issue.
The committee of Citizens for a Vibrant Uptown is comprised of City Councilor Alan Kyger, Dana and Steve Flee, an Oxford resident.
The committee is involved in the campaign and includes the campaign slogan of "Yes on 20," referring to the amendment being Issue 20.
"I hope that students are out there voting for this because it will allow for more and varied businesses uptown," Dana said. "It benefits the community of Oxford as well as students."
According to City Councilor Alan Kyger, because the first floor of these uptown buildings must be kept commercial, property owners are subdividing the lots. The restriction limits the number of dwelling units by property instead of by lot size. If this change to the Charter Amendment passed, therefore, the restriction of dwelling units would no longer always be limited to three.
The issue of residential units, however, is not the only aspect of the issue. Because property owners are dividing the lots to allow for a greater amount of residential area, they are also dividing the area for commercial space. This division often leaves the commercial area large enough for a unit like a sandwich shop, and not larger businesses.
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