Psychotherapist Stuart Altschuler is going back to the Ferndale City Council for a second round of verbal jousting. Altschuler was recently denied a permit for his home-based psychotherapy office.
However, it might be an uphill battle since “The decision of the City Council upon an appeal is final and conclusive as to all things involved in this matter,” according to Ferndale’s zoning ordinance.
In reaction to Altschuler’s decision, Ferndale City Manager Jay Parrish told the Times-Standard that the City Council will consider a moratorium on all home occupation permits.
Altschuler’s lawyer might file a writ of administrative mandamus with the Humboldt County Superior Court.
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In other news, Ferndale will be lighting the town Christmas tree on Sunday, Dec. 2. Ferndale claims that their spruce is America’s tallest living Christmas tree, but they’ll have to go fist to fist with residents of Blue River, Oregon for that coveted title.
Ferndale might also want to take a lesson from New York City, where this year’s tree at Rockefeller Center is “greener” than usual. With energy-saving lights replacing old-fashioned bulbs, the 84-foot-tall Norway spruce will consume 1,297 kilowatt hours per day, down from 3,510 kilowatt hours.
Rather than stepping into the past, Ferndale ought to consider fastforwarding into the future by asking Santa for at least two things this year: LEDs and GLBTs.
This article appears in Holiday Gift Guide 2007.
Am I the only one who was confused by the T-S headline, “Ferndale therapist is going to back the city”?
I thought he’d given up the fight and was leaving the Victorian Village, moving to San Francisco.
I hadn’t noticed that. At least they got it right in today’s paper. The headline reads, “Ferndale therapist is going back to the city.”
I wonder what Freud would have to say about the slip-up in the online version.
Come to think of it. Even the headline in the print version is a little odd. It makes it sound like Altschuler is leaving the Victorian Village and going back to L.A. — the city.
Japhet,
Tell us the other story you mention in the journal about leonardo and caroline titus
It would be interesting if the GLBT community turned out in force for the tree lighting. Maybe wear a piece of rainbow-colored clothing to be obvious.
Oh, I failed. I should have wrote, “if the GLBT community CAME OUT in force…”
I’ve been seriously considering not going there for my annual preholiday shop. I realize that the storeowners are not directly responsible for this terrible behavior, but they are not raising any objections either. Boycotting seems a bit cruel, but I do like the idea of going there and being very out, maybe directly questioning my favorite store owners and letting them know that if they choose to be neutral, that is their right, but I will not be patronizing them in the future.
How many of us have actually seen the videotape or DVD of the October 8 meeting? Without doing that, aren’t we basing our judgments on what one or two journalists have written? Aren’t we putting a lot of trust in their skill, accuracy and honorable motives?
For my part, I want to see what happened with my own two eyes and hear it with my own two ears.
I plan to get a copy Monday at the Ferndale City Hall. Then I will be able to see and hear the series of questions Shannon and Rich Leonardo asked Mr. Altschuler during that meeting.
I know something about hidden and open hostility toward gay people, having had to contend with it all my life. After I see and hear the meeting on my TV screen, I am pretty certain I will know if the Leonardos are bigots or if, instead, they have been unfairly portrayed as such by certain parties in the media.
I like what Fry has to say in Comment #7.
First let me correct my own typo. The headline was not “Ferndale therapist is going to back the city,” it read, “Ferndale therapist is going back to the city.” Sorry for the confusion created (by me, not them).
and onward..
Today’s T-S has a front page story that I read as a reaction to the backlash and an attempt at spin. Ferndale Mayor Farley contends, “It got all blown out of proportion…”
Now he’s out to prove that the accusations of homophobia are mistaken, that it’s just that the council is concerned about keeping residential zones quiet for the residents. To do so, the city will now re-examine all of the town’s 60 home business permits and make a bunch of innocent bystanders jump through hoops. My guess is the mayor has heard from a few worried merchants and felt he had to do something. IMHO a heartfelt apology is in order, but that would mean admitting to bigotry.
Re: Anon 9:37, who implies that “certain parties in the media” have less than “honorable motives” for reporting this story. Do you really believe this was all made up? Why would someone do that? I hope we’ll hear from you again after you’ve reviewed the testimony.
Bob, not to beat a dead horse but the online version does read, “Ferndale therapist is going to back the city.” Here’s the URL: http://www.times-standard.com/ci_7587817?source=most_viewed