There should be no "lame duck" Griffith Street Hotel approval

After the electoral defeat the current Davidson Board took on Tuesday, one would think, one would hope, they do not do things on their way out the door to further inflame tensions in this town.

However, they will have the chance to pour gasoline on the situation this coming Tuesday with a scheduled vote on the proposed Griffith Street Hotel.  The vote was tentatively planned prior to the election, but now definitivy appears on the agenda for this coming Tuesday - ensuring another packed Town Hall for another contentious decision by this outgoing Board.

Approving this zoning change as lame duck electeds, a change that was unanimously voted down by Davidson's Planning Board, would be an ignominious way for these elected officials to leave office...whether they stood for reelection or not.  The election results on Tuesday clearly showed the voters of Davidson want a change in direction.  They want a change in how things are done.  They want a change in what it means to listen to the public.

This Board has one last chance to get this right.

Conversely, it would be a disservice to the town for the current Board to move this project forward under these circumstances.  If they do, it will be what they are remembered for by many for a very long time.  It will be their albatross.  That is a certainty.

Let's hope they do the right thing for this community.  Let's also encourage them to do so.  Before Tuesday, send them one last message to politely ask them to not move this project forward.  There is no compelling reason for them to do so, and there are many compelling reasons to not.

The entire Board can be reached at Board@townofdavidson.org.