Chief
08-29-2007, 08:45 AM
JEFFREY MIZE, Columbian staff writer
May 13, 2003; Page c1
A leading foe of Vancouver's plans to build a downtown hotel and conference center has decided not to appeal a court decision in the city's favor.
Larry Patella said Monday that he decided not to proceed after consulting with the other petitioners seeking to force a public vote on the $68.6 million project, seen as a major component of a revitalized downtown. "My eldest daughter has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness," Patella wrote in an e-mail. "Therefore my energies will be directed towards her care and comfort."
Patella and other opponents last year collected 3,728 valid signatures from city voters, more than the 3,470 needed to place an initiative before voters under provisions outlined in the Vancouver City Charter.
But City Attorney Ted Gathe concluded the initiative was ambiguous, confusing, inconsistent and poorly written. Superior Court Judge Barbara Johnson agreed and ruled in the city's favor.
Patella's initiative was intended to prevent Vancouver from using tax revenue to subsidize, guarantee or otherwise support an events center or similar project without 60 percent approval of registered voters living in the city.
The city sued, and Patella acted as his own attorney. After Johnson's March 4 decision, he vowed to fight "until the last brick is in place."
Patella said Monday he would continue to oppose the project, but not in court.
"Our cause is just," he wrote in his e-mail. "But as the individual representing the committee of petitioners in court, I do not have the time to pursue such a laborious and expensive task."
Vancouver has selected FaulknerUSA of Austin, Texas, to build the hotel, with 226 rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space, at Sixth and Columbia streets.
The city must have construction under way by the end of the year or it will forfeit state sales tax credits that are critical to project financing.
City officials say they are negotiating assorted agreements with FaulknerUSA and hope to sell bonds to pay for the project sometime in June.
May 13, 2003; Page c1
A leading foe of Vancouver's plans to build a downtown hotel and conference center has decided not to appeal a court decision in the city's favor.
Larry Patella said Monday that he decided not to proceed after consulting with the other petitioners seeking to force a public vote on the $68.6 million project, seen as a major component of a revitalized downtown. "My eldest daughter has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness," Patella wrote in an e-mail. "Therefore my energies will be directed towards her care and comfort."
Patella and other opponents last year collected 3,728 valid signatures from city voters, more than the 3,470 needed to place an initiative before voters under provisions outlined in the Vancouver City Charter.
But City Attorney Ted Gathe concluded the initiative was ambiguous, confusing, inconsistent and poorly written. Superior Court Judge Barbara Johnson agreed and ruled in the city's favor.
Patella's initiative was intended to prevent Vancouver from using tax revenue to subsidize, guarantee or otherwise support an events center or similar project without 60 percent approval of registered voters living in the city.
The city sued, and Patella acted as his own attorney. After Johnson's March 4 decision, he vowed to fight "until the last brick is in place."
Patella said Monday he would continue to oppose the project, but not in court.
"Our cause is just," he wrote in his e-mail. "But as the individual representing the committee of petitioners in court, I do not have the time to pursue such a laborious and expensive task."
Vancouver has selected FaulknerUSA of Austin, Texas, to build the hotel, with 226 rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space, at Sixth and Columbia streets.
The city must have construction under way by the end of the year or it will forfeit state sales tax credits that are critical to project financing.
City officials say they are negotiating assorted agreements with FaulknerUSA and hope to sell bonds to pay for the project sometime in June.