I'm a third generation West Seattleite. I've lived and worked my entire life in West Seattle. I've had my offices located on the 3200 block of California Avenue since 1981. It is, has been and will continue to be my neighborhood. I've been here longer than most. I am quite familiar with the area and the community. I really do care about this neighborhoods future. I will still be here no matter what happens with this request.

Roger Cayce and I were not expecting the level of anger, mistrust and personal attacks that took place at the neighborhood meeting. It was not a very neighborly meeting. Many who came to speak in favor of the requested change were not able to because we ran out of allotted time. The vocal minority spoke and the squeaky wheel got the grease.

There were a lot of angry emotions from neighbors who live adjacent to the proposed rezone properties. They would be opposed to any change. How can they expect California Avenue to remain the same, unchanged? Many who spoke had recently moved to West Seattle from Bainbridge Island, Texas and other parts of the country. Now that they are here they feel they are the voice of the community. Even Mark, the president of the Admiral Neighborhood Association has only been in West Seattle a few years. Most who spoke said they were the voice of the community and some said that Roger and I were not listening to the community. Well, we were listening. We just happen to disagree with them and have a different vision for this block and what is good of the community. Again, we have been spent many years investing our time, energy and money in our vision for what we feel is better for us and the community. Our community!

Our block, the 3200 block of California, used to have the same zoning as the blocks to the north and south until it was down-zoned by the city in the late 1980's. We are simply asking it to be returned to match the other blocks just like it was. No more, no less.

We and the other property owners cannot afford to build the type of buildings we'd like to build with the current zoning. The current zoning does not make it economically feasible to build nice buildings with adequate parking. Every owner in this block that has tried to build in this current NC130 zone has aborted their projects because the numbers just don't work. Any development must make financial sense or it will not happen. Lenders or investors will not finance projects that don't work financially.

Like it or not, the best kept secret is out. Seattle and West Seattle have been discovered. You cannot expect a community as desirable as ours to remain unchanged. It is time we, as a community, embrace change and update our community plan. Our current Admiral Neighborhood Plan is outdated and, in my opinion, was written for another time and place.

Roger Cayce and I have worked hard and have plenty invested in this block and the community. Yes, we probably have more to win or lose by what happens here than most. We would like to build something nice that we can be proud of and move our offices into. We are proud of our past accomplishments and are not quite done. We do like to make money and by some are considered successful. Is there something wrong with that? We do care about our community and its future. We are just two local boys trying to do good things. We are living "The American Dream" or should I say "The West Seattle Dream."

Mike Gain

Admiral