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The Need for Smart Growth

A new citizen organization, Yorktown Smart Growth, seeks a more holistic approach to major development projects coming to our town.

"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell."

Edward Abbey, writer, essayist, novelist (1927-1989).

This is the first in a series of weekly blogs, which hopefully can stimulate some public discourse on something that affects each and every one of us: growth and development in our town. But because it happens in slow motion, or rather in fits and starts and possibly because the pace of modern life leaves less and less time to consider the big picture, there seems to be less and less public involvement in planning the kind of town we want to leave for our children and their children.

Unless, that is, something comes along that might affect us, usually adversely, and then we come out and protest but just for that development project. If we add to this mix the financial motivation of developers and their ecosphere, their deeper pockets and their greater understanding of the somewhat arcane rules and terminology of development then there is little surprise that the outcome is largely determined by a narrow section of the population.

The , is to broaden the participation by the citizens of Yorktown, and surrounding communities, into determining the shape of our town for the future. We will achieve this goal by a number of different routes including public education, specifically demystifying and publicizing the planning process, learning from other communities and applying the lessons learned and most specifically, shining a spotlight on major development projects planned for Yorktown.

If necessary we will provide “the other side of the story” from that spun by the narrow and financially motivated group typically proposing the development so that Yorktown residents can gain a more balanced and nuanced viewpoint. You can find more about YSG at our website.

Which brings me to the quotation at the head of this piece. We are not against growth and development in Yorktown. We understand that there is a segment of our population that is opposed to any development and while we respect this view we do not believe the future of Yorktown is to freeze the status quo and become a kind of living museum to (frankly rather unlovely) 20th century development. In particular we believe that some kind of commercial development is critical to the vibrant future of this community and not to mention our tax base.

That said, there is a pernicious and somewhat lazy, short-term thinking view of development that is making the rounds among elected officials and others who would seek to profit from projects. It goes something like this: “The economy is in the doldrums, we need jobs, we need to secure the tax base and therefore any development is good for us right now. We cannot afford to lose this project.”

We believe that at a time of economic and social vulnerability we have to be especially vigilant against poor planning decisions that are championed in the name of temporary expediency. It just takes a drive around Yorktown to see the detritus of prior planning decisions: empty big box stores, a moribund mall, unfilled luxury condominiums, and all this while the downtown areas gently fade. And while you are driving you may well experience the greatest downside of poor planning: traffic, the direct result of spreading development around all over the place!

And the current answer to this situation in the roster of major development projects in Yorktown’s in-box? Another Big Box store in an already jammed major east/west traffic corridor and more luxury condominiums (coming in under the stealth coverage as “senior housing”) in an area that was recently set aside to minimize development. Neither of these projects follow the vision laid out in the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan, something hundreds of Yorktown residents contributed towards and which the town paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and spent nine years to produce.

We should beware of cancer cells.

Submitted by Jonathan Nettelfield, Yorktown Smart Growth member.

Jake 'Terry' Robinson January 8, 2012 at 04:02 am
I am fighting a different battle in the same war... "Comprehensive Planning" on a local basis... you should google "Your Town/County" + "Comprehensive Plan" and read it... wrap your head with Duct Tape in case your head explodes...
a few resources: www.AmericanPolicy.org http://americanstewards.us/ http://americanstewards.us/news-publications/coordination-works www.DemocratsAgainstUNAgenda21.com (buy her book - Behind the Green Mask: UN Agenda 21 -great resource) I am intent on creating a National Conference (in Nashville) to teach a hand-to-gland combat style "How To" 3-day intensive workshop style boot camp on how to use legal, political, grassroots and guerrilla warfare against Sustainable Anything... It is in the embryonic idea stage... Facebook me if you want to stay informed... +++++++++++++++++++++++ this is our local fight, but the info can be useful to your local fight... Join our FB page at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Concerned-Citizens-for-Rutherford-County/339439906084895?sk=wall We are fighting the property rights-stripping trend of "Sustainable Development", "Smart Growth" and Agenda 21. To learn more visit our Youtube Channel and view several videos on what we are facing: http://www.youtube.com/user/RuCoPropertyRights?feature=watch
Bill Kellner January 9, 2012 at 06:47 pm
Smart growth principles are more supportive of property rights than the current pro-sprawl model that we are following. For example, zoning codes define exactly what a property may be used for. Want to build a rental apartment above your shop? You can’t under current zoning. Smart Growth would allow the property owner this freedom.
Bruce Apar January 9, 2012 at 10:00 pm
Very well said, Jonathan and Yorktown Smart Growth. Your group's ethos -- as articulated in the above piece -- "to broaden the participation by the citizens of Yorktown, and surrounding communities, into determining the shape of our town for the future" -- is in harmony with the worldview of Supervisor Michael Grace, who was committed to this path long before he decided to run for office. It's who he is. Within days of his election (and before Yorktown Smart Growth publicly announced itself), the Supervisor quickly endorsed formation of a Community Relations Citizens Committee I'm privileged to chair that will reach out to groups like yours to solicit input and foster collaboration. We need more bottom up, less top down management in every municipality. Kudos to all of you for stepping forth in a concerted, informed effort to help effect truly participatory government. The Grace Administration's Community Relations Citizens Committee looks forward to working with you and other citizens and organizations like yours in every walk of community life.

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Evan Bray June 19, 2013 at 01:42 pm
Mr. Lachterman, You wrote "When Councilmen Bianco, Paganelli and Patel decided that theRead More Winery did not have the right to have a public hearing on their wetlands permit, they drew a line in the sand between personal interests and all business, large or small, in Yorktown." The wetland permit was NOT for the Winery. It was town land that we--the taxpayers--own. It's not "their" permit. Do you think that we should give away--for free--any town park/wetland to any business that asks. I'm not against working out an agreement whereby we charge the winery to develop parking and an outdoor cafe seating area on our (Yorktown owned) land. But you can bet your bottom dollar that I would want to codify it with a lease and charge him market rate for it. Capitalism, not communism. Those councilman made the right choice. It looked and smelled like a giveaway to a political ally of the supervisor. The winery had no inherent right to a public hearing on what we, the taxpayer, do with our land.
Jarid proudly displaying his graduation diploma and "Altruistic Act of the Year" Award
Carolyn DePaolo June 18, 2013 at 08:20 pm
Jarid is an exceptionally giving person. We are so very proud of him, today and every day. WeRead More certainly can all learn a life lesson from Jarid. Love you and we are so proud of you Jarid!
Yorktown Boy for 60yrs June 19, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Reading this made my day, it gives you hope that there are more people like Jarid in this World! IRead More can see that Jarid will be a great contributor to Society and who ever can call Jarid ther frien through life will be very lucky!!!
Lisa Buchman (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 01:45 pm
Thanks for sharing this photo. We'd love to hear more from these groups; if you'd like to startRead More blogs on Patch, which archive your posts all together and give you a great landing page on the site, please email me at LisaB@Patch.com.
Joey Cirone June 11, 2013 at 01:45 pm
Correction: The Yorktown Leo's Club raised and is giving away $12,600 this year!!
Lisa Buchman (Editor) June 13, 2013 at 09:13 am
That is fantastic! These are really nice photos - terrific young leaders at work. If you'd like toRead More set the Leo's up with a blog, they can document their service through brief write ups or photos throughout the year. Email me LisaB@Patch.com if you are interested.