I guess Eric T may never see this since this article is quite stale, however the issue has not gone away. Indeed, Parks and Rec, knowing that there is a problem has decided to put a band-aid on the festering wound that is Esther Simplot Park. They’ve moved the entrance to the illegal unpaved parking lot from the end of Pleasanton Street to Woodlawn Street a block to the north.

So what is your point Eric T? There is no grey area. Municipal Code 11-10-04 clearly spells it out, no unpaved parking.

As far as the guest opinion piece, it depends if one lives in a world that is unequivocally black and white. I have found that black and white views of issues often contain shades of grey(or is it gray).

I’m not an attorney either but it seems Development Services will have to take some kind of action on the complaint now that it has been filed, then make a finding about it. All that should be public record, so you can ask for (and pay for) a copy of the finding and the rationale supporting it. I’m guessing the process is described somewhere (Development Services?) on the City’s web site.

But you’re probably going to need an attorney at some point in this. If the finding goes your way, great. If it doesn’t, there is probably an administrative appeal process. If there isn’t an appeal process then it looks like District court is the next stop. In either case that’s where having an attorney comes in handy.

I’d suggest checking to see if someone in your group is an attorney. Maybe they’ll handle the case pro bono or at least at a reduced rate. Or maybe you could contact the attorney for the Torch 2 on Vista. He or she probably knows how one would file such a case. Remember when the City went after them for Code violations? I seem to recall it was something about remodeling a gentleman’s club and getting too close (pun intended) to the adjoining neighborhood.

According to the City’s web site Councilwoman Clegg and Councilwoman Jordan are the Council Liaisons to Development Services. You might try contacting them also about the situation. Jordan is up for re-election this year.

Good luck! And keep us posted as events progress.

Er, nothing, I hope. Just make sure you closest neighbors get free admission.

While it appears the parking lot you describe does violate City Code, there is only one way to find out – have someone in the neighborhood show up at City Hall and file a formal complaint. Then keep Guardian readers posted on the progress of that complaint.

Another thing that could be done is to have someone in the neighborhood call the Mayor’s placebo line, I mean Hot Line, and leave a complaint there. See what action or non – action that brings. Again, if someone does that (we’ll all know because the Guardian will post it), keep Guardian readers up to date on that also.

I’ve often wondered just how legal the Thrifty Car rental lot on Airport Way is. Seems like it’s just a dirt parking lot with some gravel scattered about it. Maybe they’re just being thrifty.

Folks that I know who worked at a City agency, abet in the last century, tell me the City does (or did) “overlook” code violations of its own from time to time. They also tell me it was made clear to that agency that if a complaint ever came in the City would have no choice but to act. If fact, the agency was cited by BFD one time for a fire code violation.

So take action. Have someone file a complaint. Have someone call the placebo line. Then keep us informed of what happens or doesn’t happen.