How the script is being written

I am responding to some of the statements made by supporters of  the Block 137 (Wizer Block) development as written in the Lake Oswego Review's Letters to the Editor.

I have decided not to give the names of the authors at this point - I want to talk about massaging the media.  I encourage USC readers to read the Review's Opinion section;  There is a particularly fine piece by Dr. Tana Haynes on Pg. A10 in this week's paper (Nov. 14, 2013), "Downtown proposal appears a desperate choice".   Later I will talk about the players, but understand that there are many in this group that have direct ties to the Streetcar, Urban Renewal and the Foothills Development including many that have business interests that stand to gain from increased density and urban renewal in downtown.  The sudden burst of letters supporting the development coincides with the creation of a website promoting the development, making it hard to not to assume that this isn't an organized campaign to counter the work of the grass roots effort to reduce the impact of downtown development.  Come back for the cast of characters- until then, here is the script:

Opponents of the Block 137 project claim the design doesn't meet the city's codes.
Speaking for myself, the opponents are unhappy that the project is not compatible with the neighborhood and district, and that the exception should not have been granted.  These are both code issues.  
 I am alarmed...
The writer may well be "alarmed", but too often people use invectives to make readers feel that the opposing side is unreasonable and scary - enough so to cause a reasonable person to become alarmed.  
Ample parking will be available for residents and retail patrons and will be kept underground.
"Ample" is he term in question here.  The Chamber of Commerce did their own analysis and found the public parking is woefully inadequate.  City codes have decreased from past "ample" allowances, squeezing parking spaces for business patrons.  Lake Grove Village parking lot was done "to code" as the city required and parking has been a problem ever since.  New construction will have similar maximum standards.  (Employees for LG Village now park off-site on rented property in the county.)
The developer has done an exceptional job of integrating our village character into the development, splitting it into three separate buildings.
Splitting the project up into three buildings does not do anything about increasing and varying the setbacks from the street or reducing height and scale - part of what make the building so intrusive.  
The additional stories are created by adding much needed housing in the roof line.
How does this writer define "need" or "much needed"?  The need for anything is typically found when the product or service goes to market and if there is a demand for it.  If there is an unmet need for this type of housing in downtown LO, then why is the city subsidizing the project?  With the "need" the writer professes, I am sure there will be multiple options still to come.  
As a consultant who works with small cities all over Oregon...
I think the word "consultant" says it all.  This particular writer has worked intensively for Lake Oswego on Foothills and Boones Ferry Rd. projects and might work here again.
Our business owners desire a stronger residential presence in the downtown to support their businesses.
Through redevelopment, those who lease their spaces will find their rents going up as the value of the land goes up.  Valuable for the property owner, seller and buyer.  Increased business for downtown is great, but government-supported growth may be a double-edged sword for the business owners.  Unless it's the property owners who are clamoring for all of this?  
The additional tax revenues help share the property tax burden for all of us property taxpayers.  With increasing costs of services, we have to either face cuts in those services or have new revenue to help pay for those services.
The additional property taxes will go to pay for the bonded debt of the Urban Renewal District funds spent on the project plus interest and service charges.  Taxpayers will see no benefit for about 12  years.  When taxes do flow back to the city, they will benefit only the Urban Renewal District, not the General Fund.  The additional 228 households create a demand for services that will be greater than property taxes will cover.  Residential tax-to-service demand ratio is a net loss to city coffers.  The ratio is reversed for businesses.  Adding more housing units to the city is not an "investment".
The density is needed to pay for the two floors of underground parking which is a benefit to the community (unlike Portland, which has not provided for parking for some apartments and pushed the tenants out to the street).
As I said above, the parking requirements of the city are in question.  Portland does not require ANY parking for complexes with less than 30 units.  Their maximums for larger complexes are abysmally small too.  This is to force people to use public transit, walk or ride bikes.  It places a burden on both tenants who continue to own cars and need to find a place to put them, and neighborhoods that find their streets have become unsafe, busy, urban parking lots. W&K Development (same developers as for the Wizer Block) are currently constructing the Cathedral Apartments in St. John's - 165 units of housing with only 132 parking spaces - about .8 stalls per unit.
The community needs to take a collective deep breath...
Gives one the impression people have been hyperventilating and not as calm as they should be. 
As a longtime resident, I believe that there aren't enough housing options for those of us who would like to remain in Lake Oswego with a downsized lifestyle.
No one I know says this project should not be built, the issue is design and volume.  If the market for condos or apartments exists, rest assured, the need will be met by the private market.  And if there was a real demand, there would be no need to give our money as subsidies to developers.  
Grocery stores, restaurants, and other services are all within easy distance on foot.
The Safeway block is on the redevelopment chopping block.  Who knows what will go in when Safeway is torn down.  The Albertson's store may become a parking garage for the streetcar if that is ever built, and then there may be no grocery stores in the East End - just shops and restaurants.  Note:   Brant Williams told the FAN Assn. that Safeway has signed a long-term lease, so it will be around for quite awhile.  Good for FAN and ENA!
The Wizer block represents the opportunity for many to continue to reside in the community that they have called home for so long, but in smaller apartments that are much more manageable, both in terms of size and monthly expenses like rent.
These are to be luxury apartments with rent commensurate to that in the Pearl District.  A smaller development and other locations would also provide options to seniors.  
Right now it [the Wizer building] is on the verge of being an eyesore.
The building was designed by Sundaleaf in the 1950s.  It is a classic, and well designed building.  
Though some do not like the design period, there are many features that were new then and done with excellent materials you rarely see today.  Mr. Wizer should be able to redevelop his property, but I would hope that others can see it for something fine, rather than an eyesore.
There is already a long list of people interested in moving in.
Last I heard, Patrick Kessi said he had a "list of tens."
It also offers an option for young people and many others who may not want a larger and separate home.
The luxury apartments are being designed to appeal to young "professionals" (and seniors) with enough income to support the high rents.  
All of this will also add to the city's revenues, which will help all of our taxpayers.
See above.  Additional property taxes will first go to pay off TIF bonds, after that, the tax revenue will stay in the urban renewal district, not go to the general fund today for city services.
The writers [of letters to the editor] ask for retaining a lake Oswego's village character essentially by restricting population to current levels or less than called for in the current plan.
Detractors want to preserve the village character of Lake Oswego, something that is repeatedly stated in our city's Comp Plan.  No one is asking for the population to be frozen as is, but reducing  the size and bulk of the new development would lower the numbers for that block.  
In addition, the city's tax base will eventually increase and residents will benefit as a result of the tax burden being shared by more residents.
See comments above.
The amount of on-site, underground parking provided exceeds what is required by current code.
See above comments about Lake Grove Village.