After having time to recharge a few brain cells after attending the four-and-a-half-days of the Northgate Mall appeal, I've had some time to examine the facts.

(Note: Thornton Creek Legal Defense fund, Maple Leaf Community Council, and Sue Geving all launched appeals against the DCLU decision.)

Our burning question remains: Why was Northgate Mall's General Development Plan approved when it so glaringly did not comply with Pedestrian Street development codes?

During the appeal, John Shaw of DCLU stated that Simon Properties knew long ago that they were out of compliance. In their addendum dated September 1998, they request a departure from following the code. Many months have passed and the Mall has still made no move to make what Mr. Shaw referred to as "simple changes" in their Plan to comply with code.

Does this implicit acceptance of departures that cut to the very core of the Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan desire to make our streets more pedestrian friendly? Are the neighbors worried? You bet!

1. The Mall's Plan makes a complete and utter mockery of land use codes (23.7.008), claiming development standards regarding pedestrian streets are too detailed to evaluate.

2. Also, parts of the Mall's Plan are just plain not true. In one place, it states that 40% of street frontage is REQUIRED for parking. When in fact, the code states that parking shall not EXCEED 40%.

3. The Mall's Plan places driveways closer together than allowed by code (must be at least 300 feet apart), but lies by claiming it meets code. DCLU requested that this be corrected on 5th Avenue only, but doesn't address violations along Northgate Way.

Other statements if not completely untrue are incomprehensible.

I would like to stress how concerned I am over the safety of pedestrians. It seems codes and policies are still geared to protect the almighty automobile.

Sue Geving, Haller Lake resident