On January 19th a dozen newly minted members of the “OhNo60″ project took a few hours to snap photos during a preliminary test of the engineering study. The strings used in these tests were accurately measured based on zoning documents and topological (ground elevation) information. They are cut to lengths that represent the tallest building allowed by the zoning being proposed. The township will vote on this proposal today — Tuesday February 17, 2015– the meeting is at 7:30pm at Townhall.
The test results? Well, wind is a big issue. In many of these photos the balloons are blown lower by winds (which were around 10-15 mph according to forecasts). In some photos the wind had died down–in those, the balloon strings are of course perfectly vertical.
So this is a first look. We will be out again on a windless day, and will present additional balloon arrangements that closely mirror possible building structures. If you would like to see these arrangements from specific vantage points, please contact us in the next day or so.
There will also be updates to this site that explain the significance of each balloon arrangement, and also the details of how the study was designed.
Our goal is for everyone in Maplewood to be able evaluate this proposal based on terms they understand. If something besides these types of photos will help, please let us know!
Any questions, comments, concerns, ideas or urges please contact us via the links on our home page.
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This site chronicles the five year public process leading to the construction of Clarus Maplewood. We recently re-arranged it to provide easier access chronologically or by topic area. Check out the changes here.
Oh No 60 
Very clever study. Appreciate the civil tone as well. I would only add that building height alone cannot measure the appropriateness of a building. There are churches in town taller than 60′. It all depends on the design. In many ways the street level facade will have a bigger impact than the height.
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Thanks for the insight Tim! We agree there are buildings as tall and perhaps even taller in town. One thing to stress is this would be right in the village where this would tower over all the other buildings there.
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To get one step closer to seeing the building outline, we will be doing a Balloon Exhibit on a windless day. This will include 4-8 balloons precisely placed at proposed building perimeter. SIgn up on the web site to be notified of the date and time. Thanks!
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It is kinda ridiculous how many people are going to the just closed Post Office with packages in hand. Somehow the message just didn’t get out. SO how did the town and the USPS let people know?
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Olive, looks like they got the word out the same way they got he word out about the redevelopment… They didn’t really. Unless you have been actively involved here, or caught a post online I don’t think they have really tried to go out of their way to let anyone know. If they bring attention to the new location, they need to also bring attention to the proposed redevelopment. At this time they don’t seem to want to do that. I may be wrong and if anyone else from the team can correct me if I am wrong!
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Signs were posted in town and multiple emails sent out about the post office move. The redevelopment process is posted on the township website with email alerts as well. Dont say they arent trying to inform people.
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Archie, the criteria I’ve always asked the TC to consider is effectiveness, not simply “trying”. In a case as important as this one, that effectiveness needs to be validated. In my experience over the past several years, I would venture a guess that well under 20% of the population understood the direction plan was going in. It isn’t much better than that today! We talk to dozens of people every weekend that are hungry for details. And, I’ve reported the same during comment periods at TC meetings on numerous occasions–and that’s just the topic of effectiveness of communications! One becomes discouraged when no effort is made to assess this one basic measure. There is an opportunity for improvement! Thanks, dave helmkamp
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