So - I stayed up late last night to attend the hearing on the Charles County Comprehensive Plan. I arrived early and signed up, so was able to speak pretty early in the evening. Nonetheless, I decided to stay until the end - I wanted to hear what my fellow citizens had to say. The results? Im encouraged - the citizens are engaged and for the most part, very sincere, intelligent, and articulate - As our community tries to decide how to manage land use going forward, our citizens should really take time to LISTEN to each other. I happen to favor the Merged Scenario - which is not what the Planning Commission has approved and is now before the Commissioners. However, there were EXCELLENT points made by citizen land owners and sincere people on the other side of the issue too - and made me really think. I hope our leaders were listening with an open mind (as I tried to) - One of the BIGGEST things to me, which tips my opinion to vote NO on this - is that apparently the Planning Commission refused to do a real fiscal impact study on this plan that is now pending approval.... That seems really short sighted to me... Id like to see the MERGED scenario developed into a REAL detailed plan - and then both plans subjected to a professional fiscal analysis - Without doing that - I dont think you can say weve done our diligence on this issue. While its clear that the power does exist politically at this moment to push this plan through, I feel it risks a tea party style backlash once the public becomes more aware of the full implications of whats happened, and how the citizen input (ie the merged/compromise scenario) were essentially discarded by the planning commission. Even if we dont get a plan that looks exactly like the Merged scenario that I favor...there should be SOME compromise, so that there will be more of a legitimacy to the plan that is implemented....and will reduce the potential backlash in the future. Not having that backlash is in all of our interests - so we can go forward in a climate of stability and certainty... Thats good for long range planning and good for business. For that reason, I urge our leadership, specifically Mr. Rucci, Ms. Davis, and Mr. Collins to shift their votes, and to join Mr. Robinson and Ms. Kelly in voting NO on this plan at the present time. Not to save the whales, but to save our credibility.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:45:11 +0000
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