Question to the Factions

[Salzie Sachertorte]

*post withdrawn*

[Grey Ashdene]

I would also like to hear what the different factions can say about that question, and the broader one of what kinds and sorts of expansion would they support for CDS.

Certainly, if attracting visitors, customers to businesses, and potential citizens, is a concern, a small ski slope could be a natural draw. Which would fit in with the alpine theme.

[Sonja Strom]

In answer to Salzie's questions, the DPU is in favor of a community-wide discussion about creating mountains going up higher than the town of Neufreistadt at some point in the future. The ways we would like to confirm the community's interest in this concept are:
1) Support for our faction and its platform from citizens voting in the elections.
2) A community-wide poll about this concept, for/against, in the CDS Forum. This can be found at: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1854
3) Input to the Master Plan workgroup.
4) Support from other factions in the CDS.
5) We are willing for a CDS-wide Referendum question to be placed on the ballot for the next general election, if this is what the community would like.

Obviously, not every single citizen in the CDS will be completely satisfied with any decision that is made on any topic, and this concept is no exception. However, a general direction the community would most like to go in as a whole is possible to ascertain. This is what the DPU wants.

In answer to Grey's question about future types of expansion, the DPU supports expansion of the existing Alpine and Roman themes in the CDS, and discussion of at some point adding a Greek theme. The DPU is also in favor of working together with other existing communities in SL, as a way to possibly broaden our own community. Here is a relevant section of the DPU platform:

Alliances
The DPU encourages working together with other communities of all kinds, especially if they are interested in democratic forms of governance. We support the hosting of embassies from other SL communities in the CDS, and the creation and support of CDS embassies in other areas. Included in this are the CDS Infohub in Anzere, and the Europa Embassy in Neufreistadt. Particular attention should be paid to the SL community of Al Andalus, with which the CDS may have much in common and with which it may want to develop closer relations.

[Jamie Palisades]

Interesting questions. I'll try. Others might disagree, even within my own faction. These are political views, for the purposes of elections, not a CDS government response. After all, some of my faction colleagues are running for RA ... and I may stand again for re-appointment as chancellor ... which is the new RA's decision. So for this purpose, I'm a candidate.

Grey asked about a Ski run. Sigh. SIGH. Rose and Rain and Sonja and Bjerkel and I were standing, in Alpine Meadows, right on the empty property you now own, Grey, looking uphill a year ago ... trying to figure out how to construct and preserve a long straight run there. To me, it seemed like one of the Guild's rare design mistakes. As a Northern kid, I reflexively look for toboggan and ski paths! And Rose's original "winning" design for AM included a ski path concept, but the implementers modified it, for whatever reason.
I still think it's possible, but would require some parcel boundary changes. We may have to move, for example, one path, and relocate one of the 512 m2 lots that you or Cindy live on now, to make it work. So there's planning and negotiation ahead. For me, it's a heart's desire, but has not been a first priority. With some cooperation from the locals, we could get it done this next term, though.

AM-skirun.png (104.54 KiB) Viewed 681 times

Salzie asked about "Higher than NFS", and has said, before, that she opposes anything being built higher than the current NFS Schloss. Nice to hear from you, we miss you. Here's my view, for what it's worth:
-- I suspect that the sim "behind" the Schloss WILL be one of the ones we do next. We seem to be able to sell NFS as a theme concept! And that's the natural direction to build "more of it" to sell. So, at least, at the East NFS sim edge, personally I expect it to be "just as high", and to have some continuation of the flattish city space on top of the hill .... not a sheer dropoff like we see at the NFS-AM border.
-- Whether we can go even much higher, there? Actually, I doubt it, on sheer technical grounds. Multi-sim estates work like terraforming a parcel: it's a continuous web, and each point constrains every other point. If we were to go radically higher up, East of NFS, what happens to those next sim edges? See the posted GMP maps about terrain orography. But that's for the guild to sort out and advise us.
-- How people will have a voice? Well, in major sim theme and (in my view) map issues, we are *required* to have public consultation. See the relevant laws, and my summary of them in the "Sim and City Planning" threads. So, everyone gets heard ... if they speak up. The RA has ultimate veto power there, too. The right way to get THEM sorted out, under our current laws, is completely tied to the faction system. I've never understood myself why factions are so central to our laws, but in any case, I doubt there is an anti-ski or anti-mountain faction. :D Or pro-, either. But some people might be more inclined than others to listen to outside feedback. All citizens in good standing *do* have the right to elect people who will be fair, inclusive, approachable good planners and good listeners. So, my advice would be, vote wisely :) I was delighted, personally, when Symo, who has done so much of the expert work on planning and mapping for us in the Guild's GMP project, agreed to run for RA. More actual skill in planning, in RA = all good.

Salzie and Grey are asking the same basic question ... how do we as a community process these questions? It's important: we are an actual democracy, obligated to explain and fairly process all decisions ... not Des running Caledon or even Sudane running SLNE.

After a recommendation from the Guild, or whoever, on big land changes, CDS probably has moved too fast at times. Longtime political leaders sometimes tend to forget to consult ... and artisans just want to build and get on with it. In the past, CDS plans sometimes have been hustled into RA for a vote too quickly .. or implemented with too many quirky changes ... without chatting with the affected citizens, in my view. In my own work, I have been trying to consult more, and expand that process a little. Land plans are written up and posted, and get feedback, before and after they're implemented, and we talk to people. A lot. It slows things down, but we get happier citizens, with more "buy-in", maybe, Time will tell if that works.

Regards Jamie

[Desmond Shang]

On the other hand, I could have that ski run fixed in about ten minutes!

your favourite menace from across the sea,

Des

[symokurka]

This is just to inform evrybody that I'm calling a specific GMP Workgroup on this theme. At the moment Sonja and Timo joined, we'll possibly have at least some advices from Bjerkel too. And we surely plan to define some "mountain proposals" as soon as possible.
S.

[Jamie Palisades]

Bosh, Des, you know as well as I do that, when the Mystic Zen Prim Masters of CDS took you to the misty Alpine mountaintops, trained you how to build, and first conferred your potent skills upon you, you were sworn to use them only for good. Nice leather library chairs and tasteful Victorian homes = good. Messing with someone else's terrain = well, borderline, anyway.
Besides, we all know you hate snow. regards JP

[Rose Springvale]

< grins>
Dear Desmond,

I have a nice parcel of land for you which will confer on you CDS "citizenship" and then you can join the workgroup

Really! i'll make you a deal!

love,
Rose
P.S. We might even make our own "survivor" seals!