Last week I dropped off at the planning department my various applications — design review application, use permit application, and demolition permit application — and all the supporting drawings and documents. And I also delivered a painfully big fat check payment to the city to fund processing of my applications and other related city services.

The very nice man who took my applications flipped through them at the counter, hmmmm’ing and nodding. I started to get nervous, what with all the hmmmm’ing and flipping. . . Then the nice man says to me, “I’ve only been working here for a year, but so far this is the most complete submission I’ve seen yet!” Whew! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the thorough submission — and all the beautiful drawings from WA+D — will help get this project through planning without any big hitches. Hopefully come November we’ll get the green light to move forward!

But first, we’ve got to woo the neighbors and convince them not to raise any objections. . . Our plan is to ply them with wine and food. That usually works, right? More on that soon.