INC NEWS - Letter: Greasing the skids for developers is a bad idea (Herald-Sun)

[John Schelp]

Letter: Let's take our time
Herald-Sun, 13 May 2008
 
Do we really want to speed up annexation? The trip
through the county land use process is vital. Why have
any sort of comprehensive plan if it is constantly
being ignored? Bad idea. 

Do we really want a city manager such as Lamont Ewell,
Marcia Conner or Patrick Baker to make the sole
decision to extend utilities to outlying developments?
No consideration at all by the city council? Another
bad idea. 

Do we really want to curtail the ability of the
Planning Commission to defer decisions? These waiting
periods are for excellent reasons -- usually the plan
in question is being rushed through the process with
no respect for environmental issues or citizen
concerns. Yet another bad idea. 

What is the big hurry? It seems that Mayor Bill Bell
and Assistant City Manager Ted Voorhees have totally
forgotten the concepts of containing sprawl. Their
suggestions will only result in more and more
building. Essentially, they are aiding and abetting
developers as they continue to lay waste to Durham
County -- even faster. 

Does neither Bell nor Voorhees remember the recent
close call we had when the water was running out? Why
do they think that a new water supply is going to
happen anytime soon? 

Greasing the skids for developers is a bad idea. 

Liz Pullman
Durham