Negotiation

Chris B., URP 4022 Collective Decisions

Preserving Nature in Sleepyville

Kurt Eaglewatcher, my character, is an “Environmentalist.” In this negotiation, collaboration with my group was essential, I am the head of the local chapter of the 1000 Friend of Florida, and I would like to ensure as little environmental degradation as possible on Mrs. Landowner’s land, I plan to do this by attempting to purchase a large portion of Mrs. Landowner’s property to be dedicated to conservation activities like ecological greenways. I am not against land development but I think that it should have a regulating body if the community wants to uphold its character among the landscape and attraction to residents and tourists. My ultimate goal is to preserve nature and my mission going into the negotiation is to leave with the most land to preserve by donating the land to the State of Florida as a nature preserve to be maintained by volunteer workers.

To begin with, we had a meeting at Mrs. Landowner’s house, where Mrs. Landowner, Dana Builder, Benny Planner and I met. It began by Mrs. Landowner (Dipo) making us aware that she wants the most amount of money for her land right off the bat. Thereafter, the two builders (Ryan and Shannon) said they wanted all the beach front land to build residences. After hearing this I said that this can’t be done because by allowing tourists and residents to live directly on the beach, the potential for pollution is very high, and this is one area that we discussed a lot. Finally, when I brought up finances, they agreed that they wanted 1/3 acre toward each townhome residence they were looking to build, approximately 3 units per townhome per acre, 35 acres is what they wanted and they offered $11,000 per acre, they said that they have the money from previous investments and they have it in cash, they want to have residential townhomes solely. And they took the middle area from the beach to the road, approximately 55% of the beachline. Mrs. Landowner accepted, because the Planner and I didn’t have the funds to compete with the builder.

Next, we all agreed we want a park, good for children, the community’s aesthetic, and in promotion of ecological greenways. Pete Planner (Cavesha) said she wanted to move Mrs. Landowner outside of the home into a facility that is built on her land, if Mrs. Landowner sells acreage from the northern part of the beachline (approximately 18%) to the road, including Mrs. Landowner’s house and area in between on the diagonal strip of landmass. Mrs. Landowner accepted the offer and asked, “What will you do with my house?”

In response, the Planner, Builders, and I discussed are mutual goals, which is to preserve history. This also correlated with Mrs. Landowner’s wishes and made her happy to know that through collaboration, we decided that we will build a museum where Mrs. Landowner’s house was, which will contribute to the historic preservation, economic threshold and will work to create a touristic attraction. Pete Planner gained 20 acres at $10,000 an acre, which will be paid for by the city, as she stated. It was unique how Pete Planner did not attempt negotiation, and how there is the assumption that the city will pay for the acreage without an aforementioned plan involving all transportation and economic development, alongside the step-by-step processes of the plan if the acreage is attained, particularly this would be a necessary mention to stakeholders taking part.