Moving Forward by Standing Still

I believe Quality of Life is best preserved and protected through proper planning. As I’ve already mentioned, proper planning is a byproduct of a solid, updated Comprehensive Plan.

For several months in early 2005, I advocated a town-wide moratorium. The concept was not embraced by the Town Board despite raging controversy over the existing Town Comp Plan. The argument against a moratorium boiled down essentially to the concern it would stifle development. I’ll acknowledge the short-term concern is valid, but the longer-term benefit actually outweighs the concern. Remember, good planning doesn’t just happen.

Moratoria are an accepted planning tool used by many communities. In fact, most of our neighbors have utilized them effectively. Why are we so reluctant to embrace the concept? The adoption of a moratorium allows the Town to carefully plan all zoning and development concerns. I contend the Town emerges from a moratorium better prepared to attract the desired type of development while preserving quality of life for residents. It is an advantage for the Town, not a disadvantage, to step back and get it right.

In 2005, we were on the brink of a Comp Plan review and update. It was argued that a moratorium wasn’t needed as a mechanism to facilitate the update – that things could proceed simultaneously. It’s now 2008 and despite whatever progress may have been made on some of the planning issues, the Plan remains inadequate. I think we need to reevaluate the value of imposing a town-wide moratorium.

These are a few important reasons for supporting a town-wide moratorium:

• To enable a full review and update of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure responsible development, both residentially and commercially
• To ensure proper planning and zoning are adequately discussed and considered.
• To solve groundwater and high water table issues that plague our area before additional development is allowed.
• To ensure proper infrastructure, such as sewers and roads, are in place to enable planned projects.
• To ensure schools can meet projected demands on resources.
• To ensure emergency services (fire, police and paramedic) can meet projected demands on resources.
• To alleviate any potential health and safety concerns related to proposed development.
• To ensure quality of life issues are satisfied and remain paramount to tax revenue generation.
• To preserve and protect rural character of town.
• To ensure that environmental concerns are thoroughly examined to ensure that the integrity of the aquifer is maintained.
• To ensure that environmental concerns are thoroughly examined to ensure wetlands, and the wildlife they support, are preserved.

Sound like garbage? I don’t think so. In the end, it’s all about Quality of Life. We’re simply trying to foster responsible development. Let’s adopt a town-wide moratorium to get a proper Comprehensive Plan in place. We may find out that by standing still for a moment, we’ve actually moved forward.