INC NEWS - Letter: Planning Commission's function is important (Herald-Sun)

[John Schelp]

More common sense...

Letter: Planning Commission's function is important
Herald-Sun, 19 May 2008 
 
Recent proposals to speed up the annexation process
and remove the Durham Planning Commission's power to
approve deferrals are misguided. 

Speeding up annexation may result in controversial
rezoning cases never being heard by the County
Commissioners and shutting out residents' voices. 

I have had the honor of being a member of the Durham
Planning Commission for three years. The Commission is
involved in a small fraction of the projects that go
through the development review process. We only see
rezonings, plan amendments, text amendments and
special plans. The majority of proposed developments
go through an administrative process and are reviewed
by staff. 

Deferrals are requested by planning staff, citizens,
developers and commission members for a variety of
reasons. In 2007, of the 41 rezoning and plan
amendment cases on our agenda, the Planning Commission
deferred only seven. And in six of the seven, the
applicant was involved in requesting the deferral. 

The Planning Commission uses the power to grant
deferrals only after careful consideration of each
case. A deferral has an important result -- it may
allow staff to examine a revised development plan,
lead to an applicant's decision to withdraw the
proposal, or give neighbors and developers the
opportunity to reach consensus, resulting in a better
project. The cases then move to elected officials for
their consideration. 

The Durham Planning Commission serves a unique role.
We are not administrators. We are not legislators. We
are ordinary citizens who try our best to evaluate
projects with the interests of the community in mind. 

Unlike elected officials, who have enormous weekly
meeting agendas and many complex issues to deal with,
we have the benefit of being able to only focus on
rezonings, plan amendments, text amendments and
special plans. We try to give all parties involved a
chance to make their case and voice their concerns. 

The vital role of citizens in making critical land-use
decisions should not be limited by short-circuiting
the annexation process or by removing the Planning
Commission's power of deferral.  

Wendy Jacobs
Durham
 

The writer is a member of the Durham Planning
Commission. The length rule for letters was waived.