To the Editor:

In response to the article written by Quintin Ellison published Oct. 5 regarding the developer request to the mayor and council of Forest Hills village to allow a premier student housing complex, I offer the following viewpoint and comments on the article.

While I appreciate the coverage of the project, I attended the last council meeting and saw no indication of the village leader’s lack of willingness to at least have a public hearing and official vote on the matter. The article seems to say it is a foregone conclusion that the project will not happen.

I am not sure whether or not the writer (or any of the residents of the village) has actually visited the site Monarch proposes to replace. If so, they will see the current physical state of the Linmar Loop Apartments. If they haven’t visited, I suggest doing so immediately. If I were a resident of FHV and knew that I had a chance to make such a positive change in my community, I would jump all over it, especially knowing the project is near the entrance of the village and close to 107.

For full disclosure, I am the real estate broker representing the owner of the land Monarch intends to purchase. This is a class-act developer (though not perfect; none are) that will provide jobs for the community, no doubt increase the desirability of the village and, most of all, clean up the place and provide better amenities, not to mention a higher tax base.

Residents of Forest Hills, don’t you think it’s time to consider the future now rather than later and allow something positive to occur?

Dana Smith

Bryson City