We agree that Minneapolis needs more housing to ease the load on the freeways, but want to be realistic. Bryn Mawr will never be the answer to traffic congestion caused by commuters from the suburbs. No matter HOW much we build in the inner city, the demographics will continue to skew toward people moving to the outer ring. The lure of an acre of land, lower crime, cheaper housing and newer schools is driving this trend, and will continue to, until the commute time becomes prohibitive. Further, for those who appreciate the advantages of a downtown location, Minneapolis is already building thousands of new housing units in more appropriate settings, such as downtowwn, and the warehouse district - areas that lend themselves to higher density much better than a wooded lot next to Wirth Park. The FBPW's position is to not pave over every last scrap of natural land we have in the name of an easier commute. The idea that you can have TOO MUCH natural land is a frightening concept to a lot of people, first among them the FBPW. Walk through these woods sometime. Join the students of the neighboring school counting wildlife. Stop and count the astounding variety of flora and fauna this area supports, and we think you will see the value of this land. We need housing, but we would like to be smart about it. There are other sites better suited to easing the housing shortage nearby. For example, we support building on the Washburn site and endorse the concept of developing the former Qwest site in a community-sensitive manner