Published February 2, 2006 in issue 0505 of the HooK.

By Kate Johnson

I live in Woolen Mills, on Chesapeake Street to be exact. That makes me (and everyone else who lives in Woolen Mills) a member of the neighborhood association. It's not some fancy country club with dues, as neighbor Eleanor Willson would have you believe [January 26: "Bulbed-out: Traffic calming riles neighbors"]. You just have to live in the neighborhood and care about what's going on in it.

I went door to door in my neighborhood, on Chesapeake Street, handing out flyers and putting them in doorways, on mailboxes, etc. to inform people on the south side of the street (the side not getting the sidewalk) that there would be a neighborhood meeting regarding the sidewalks. So neighbor Doris Reuschling should have been informed.

Despite inclement weather, numerous other neighbors turned up to hear about the "secretive" plans for the neighborhood-- including the bulb-outs that are sooo controversial.

It was explained that the bulb-outs provide green space and will only take up about one parking spot. No parking would be lost on the south side of the street, even with the dreaded two-foot green strip attached to the sidewalk on the north side.

In the spirit of community and compromise, one family who did not like the bulb-out in front of their house was able to have it moved to the frontage of a house with an owner who wanted a bulb-out.

Perhaps this could be the solution for Ms. Willson? She has one of only three houses on that part of Chesapeake without a driveway. Maybe someone with off-street parking would be happy to have more space to grow beautiful things?

Kate Johnson
Charlottesville