INC NEWS - short answer to a long question: Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance

[Mike - Hotmail]

The debate that follows this issue is one that has been on-going for over a 
decade.

In many peoples (read developers, land speculators, investors, etc) minds 
the increase in tax base from farmland and wild forested areas (~$2 to 5 
thousand/acre) to residential property that can reach $250-750,000/home site 
more than makes up for the cost of the infrastructures to pay for them.

The problem as I see it is that if this were true, given the extraordinary 
growth we've had over the past 10 years +,  why are our roads, waterways, 
and trash pick-up services and other basic needs so badly underfunded?

Those in the first category complain that it's been wasteful spending by our 
municipal governments.

Some in the latter feel underserved and over taxed.

It's a good debate.

Several years ago both the city and the county initiated a study commission 
here in Durham to look at this.  It was called the Adequate Facilities 
Ordinance Taskforce and it looked at not only water supplies, but schools, 
parks, transportation, solid waste and many other 'basic needs' that must be 
provided to its citizens.

It was quite an educational journey.

The main point of which is that for a community to grow in a sustained, 
healthy and prosperous manner it must first establish minimum Levels of 
Service for each one of these.

Once established (and agreed upon) 'growth' could only take place or be 
approved if there was either a capacity to handle it or the money put away 
with a plan to accommodate it when eventually built out.

Obviously,  we didn't succeed.   The taskforce submitted its recommendations 
and the study is still sitting on a shelf somewhere gathering dust while 
growth continues to expands without its benefits and forethought.

Mike Shiflett


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Melissa Rooney" <mmr121570 at yahoo.com>
To: <inc-list at durhaminc.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 10:25 AM
Subject: INC NEWS - Fwd: Letter to Herald Sun--Growth & 
Drought--SoundFamiliar?


> Please see the following letter to the Durham Herald
> Sun in Today's paper:
>
> ______________________
>
> Let's conserve resources by managing our growth
>
> Gov. Mike Easley requested a 50 percent water use
> reduction. On the same day Easley made the request,
> Durham County Commissioners approved rezoning some
> wetland areas north of Treyburn for the construction
> of 175 new homes.
>
> If we are truly strapped for water, why are we
> allowing growth? After the 2002 drought, I suggested
> in a letter to the editor that new building should be
> allowed only when a sustainable source of water has
> been identified to supply that growth. It is unfair,
> in my opinion, to continue constricting the water
> supply of existing residents while adding more homes
> and businesses that will further strain our water
> supplies. Why should we be asked to limit our showers,
> etc, when our governments show no restraint in
> approving growth that will only make this resource
> even more scarce?
> These droughts are cyclical and will continue to
> occur. Ignoring that fact, and not planning for
> sustainable growth will only turn this area into a
> nightmare for those who live here. I wish that your
> paper would address this problem instead of telling us
> it is our patriotic duty to conserve every last drop
> of water. Maybe running completely out of water will
> wake our officials to the reality that outstripping
> our water supply is an irresponsible way to manage
> growth. When our governments walk the walk, then I'll
> listen to them talk.
>
> Jennifer Fortney
> Durham
> October 29, 2007
>
> Note: forwarded message attached.
>
>
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