Juniper Park Civic Association

3 days ago

On Thursday, before NineDot’s contractor accosted Council Member Phil Wong and his staff, culminating in one staff member being subjected to a racist slur, then allegedly tackled to the ground where he struck his head on the pavement and spent the night in the hospital, the contractor was violating Wednesday’s partial Stop Work Order by installing a concrete vault and backfilling it. The Department of Buildings confirmed the work was not permitted and responded by issuing a full Class 1 Aggravated Stop Work Order.

After residents reported the illegal work, Council Member Wong and his staff did exactly what they were elected to do. They responded, documented the work from a public sidewalk, and ensured accountability.

While some continue debating who touched whom despite the video evidence, the larger point remains: the contractor should not have been working that day. If the contractor and his workers believed someone was doing something improper by lawfully recording from a public sidewalk, they should have called 911 instead of running out of the construction site and taking matters into their own hands. The contractor apparently thought this work could continue unnoticed. They were wrong.

Let’s also not forget that a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment prepared for the property’s former owner identified recognized environmental concerns on the site. Soil that was illegally excavated now sits uncovered across from a school, raising serious questions that deserve answers.

We appreciate Council Member Wong and his office for keeping a close watch on this project. We call on all appropriate authorities to hold this contractor accountable, not only for the illegal work that resulted in a Class 1 Aggravated Stop Work Order, but also to fully investigate the alleged assault and the racist slur that preceded it. This kind of conduct has no place in our community.

It is also time for government and developers to start listening to neighborhoods instead of forcing projects on communities over their overwhelming objections.

NineDot should do the right thing and relocate this facility to a more appropriate site. ... See MoreSee Less