[Vision2020] Sustainable Growth

Mon, 09 Jun 2003 10:38:33 -0700

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    First, my thanks to Jon Kimberling for taking the time to respond on
these issues to Vision 2020.  I appreciate the kind of dialog he is
supporting.
    Second, I honestly believe Jon when he writes that his focus is on
the best for Moscow.  He does not want to destroy Moscow for a quick
buck, and does not want to see dumb growth here in his hometown.
    However, I believe that dumb growth could result from the
rule-changing that  follows the alliance between city government and
economic development interests that we are now seeing in Moscow.
    It could happen here, as people search for livable communities and
keep moving here, and as large employers are enticed here.  If the
planning/zoning rules were changed, we could be drowning in more and
more development.
    Remember that, as Jon writes in his second paragraph below: "No one
ever stands up at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and argues
for “dumb” growth."
    Of course not.  Not even the greediest developer would say that.
Dumb growth, like what has happened to Post Falls/Coeur d'Alene,
happened because of the cumulative effect of a number of planning and
zoning decisions that created opportunities that developers took
advantage of.  And once the doors opened, legally there was not much the
community could do to protect itself.
    Everybody can keep talking about sustainable growth and all the
other cute buzzwords, but what counts is the protections (through zoning
and planning) the community has in place.  Trusting the city
administration and the chamber of commerce to do the right thing is not
enough.
    A case in point: When Alturas was initially under consideration, I
attended three public meetings in which everyone vowed that Alturas was
going to use tax money for one purpose and one purpose alone--to create
an appealing research park environment to keep high-tech businesses in
Moscow.  I trusted the city to do that, and I supported it.  Now, I feel
like we all got burned, since the city has now shifted Alturas into a
tax-supported office park, allowing various attorneys, accountants, and
now a day care center to move there from downtown.  My guess is that
nobody wanted that to happen at the inception, but through a series of
errors and legalese exceptions, it did.
    Nobody wants dumb growth, but if the citizens do not care enough to
say no at the beginning of the process, it will happen.
    BL

Jon Kimberling wrote:

> SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IS SMART GROWTH FOR MOSCOW
>
> A recent Op-Ed piece (Bill London, Daily News, June 4th, “Smart
> Growth, Not Dumb Growth, for Moscow”), criticizes the recent efforts
> of the City of Moscow, Latah County, Latah Economic Development
> Council, Moscow School District, University of Idaho, Gritman Medical
> Center and the Moscow Chamber of Commerce in developing a
> collaborative approach for future economic development in Moscow and
> Latah County.Our working assumption is to collaborate in pursuing
> common economic development goals and together help build and maintain
> a successful economy for our community.Along with this however, is a
> continued emphasis on managing the growth through sound, realistic,
> and community-based land use planning.
>
> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
> "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
>
> Sustainable land use planning and collaborative growth management will
> help us provide greater certainty and predictability about where,
> when, and how much development will occur in our community; how it
> will be serviced, as well as the type and style of development.Lacking
> a strategic economic development plan creates unpredictability about
> future growth and development of a community, and often leads to
> costly struggles that pit local governments, developers and concerned
> citizens against each other.Successful sustainable planning will
> produce community consensus, political strength, sound development,
> manageable public infrastructure, and effective stewardship and
> protection of the resources.This is what we all want – smart,
> sustainable growth.No one ever stands up at a Planning and Zoning
> Commission meeting and argues for “dumb” growth.
>
> Moscow is an attractive, livable community which we all value for the
> many of the same reasons.We live here because it offers a high quality
> of life that affords us the ability to raise our families and conduct
> our businesses without the threat of crime, congestion or exorbitant
> taxes.By properly planning for growth and economic development, we can
> maintain our character and appearance – that makes us distinctive and
> creates a high degree of civic pride.People are attracted to
> communities like Moscow for this very reason; we care about managing
> our resources whether its water, farmland or downtown.
>
> Our attractiveness will not go unnoticed however.People will seek to
> move to places that value their communities and protect their
> resources and their economies.Communities active in promoting economic
> development will be more attractive if they equally value and protect
> their resources and manage how new growth is addressed.We must also be
> mindful of the degree of regulations and costs associated with
> developing and maintaining a business here in Moscow.Regulations must
> be compatible with the need to earn a profit and provide a
> sustainable, realistic business environment.Healthy communities are
> those that recognize the balance between these two equally important
> priorities.Growth needs to occur carefully, guided by considerations
> of property tax impacts, burdens on public infrastructure and
> community values.
>
> Our attempt to help forge a vision for future economic development is
> not occurring in a vacuum or with a wanton disregard for community
> values.We are all mindful of our community, its strengths and assets.
> However, we are also mindful of the perception of outsiders that
> Moscow is perceived as “anti-business”. We will continue to fight this
> notion. All of this will factor into any economic development plan we
> create and will include an active, healthy dialogue with all facets of
> our community.We all agree that there is a clear need to improve
> dialogue between stakeholders and enhance collaborations so that
> economic development efforts are strategic, consistent, effective and
> well designed. A strategic economic development plan is needed to
> guide such efforts.
>
> There continues to be broad support for the commitment the City has
> made toward developing such a plan. On behalf of the Board of
> Directors of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, I want to thank the City
> for the commitment they have made and we believe these efforts will
> produce long term, sustainable benefits for our community.
>
> Jon Kimberling, President
>
> Moscow Chamber of Commerce
>

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First, my thanks to Jon Kimberling for taking the time
to respond on these issues to Vision 2020.&nbsp; I appreciate the kind
of dialog he is supporting.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Second, I honestly believe Jon when he writes that
his focus is on the best for Moscow.&nbsp; He does not want to destroy
Moscow for a quick buck, and does not want to see dumb growth here in his
hometown.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, I believe that dumb growth could result
from the rule-changing that&nbsp; follows the alliance between city government
and economic development interests that we are now seeing in Moscow.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It could happen here, as people search for livable
communities and keep moving here, and as large employers are enticed here.&nbsp;
If the planning/zoning rules were changed, we could be drowning in more
and more development.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Remember that, as Jon writes in his second paragraph
below: "No one ever stands up at a Planning and Zoning
Commission meeting and argues for “dumb” growth."
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course not.&nbsp; Not even
the greediest developer would say that.&nbsp; Dumb growth, like what has
happened to Post Falls/Coeur d'Alene, happened because of the cumulative
effect of a number of planning and zoning decisions that created opportunities
that developers took advantage of.&nbsp; And once the doors opened, legally
there was not much the community could do to protect itself.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Everybody can keep talking
about sustainable growth and all the other cute buzzwords, but what counts
is the protections (through zoning and planning) the community has in place.&nbsp;
Trusting the city administration and the chamber of commerce to do the
right thing is not enough.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A case in point: When Alturas
was initially under consideration, I attended three public meetings in
which everyone vowed that Alturas was going to use tax money for one purpose
and one purpose alone--to create an appealing research park environment
to keep high-tech businesses in Moscow.&nbsp; I trusted the city to do
that, and I supported it.&nbsp; Now, I feel like we all got burned, since
the city has now shifted Alturas into a tax-supported office park, allowing
various attorneys, accountants, and now a day care center to move there
from downtown.&nbsp; My guess is that nobody wanted that to happen at the
inception, but through a series of errors and legalese exceptions, it did.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nobody wants dumb growth,
but if the citizens do not care enough to say no at the beginning of the
process, it will happen.
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BL
 &nbsp;
Jon Kimberling wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE><style></style>

<h1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
<u><font face="Garamond"><font size=+2>SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IS SMART GROWTH
FOR MOSCOW</font></font></u></h1>

<div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Garamond">A
recent Op-Ed piece (Bill London, Daily News, June 4<sup>th</sup>, “Smart
Growth, Not Dumb Growth, for Moscow”), criticizes the recent efforts of
the City of Moscow, Latah County, Latah Economic Development Council, Moscow
School District, University of Idaho, Gritman Medical Center and the Moscow
Chamber of Commerce in developing a collaborative approach for future economic
development in Moscow and Latah County.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Our
working assumption is to collaborate in pursuing common economic development
goals and together help build and maintain a successful economy for our
community.<span 
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Along with this however,
is a continued emphasis on managing the growth through sound, realistic,
and community-based land use planning.</font></div>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">&lt;?xml:namespace prefix
= o ns = "<A HREF="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office">urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office</A>" /><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Garamond">Sustainable
land use planning and collaborative growth management will help us provide
greater certainty and predictability about where, when, and how much development
will occur in our community; how it will be serviced, as well as the type
and style of development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Lacking
a strategic economic development plan creates unpredictability about future
growth and development of a community, and often leads to costly struggles
that pit local governments, developers and concerned citizens against each
other.<span 
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Successful sustainable planning
will produce community consensus, political strength, sound development,
manageable public infrastructure, and effective stewardship and protection
of the resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>This is what we
all want – smart, sustainable growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>No
one ever stands up at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and argues
for “dumb” growth.</font>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Garamond">Moscow
is an attractive, livable community which we all value for the many of
the same reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We live here because
it offers a high quality of life that affords us the ability to raise our
families and conduct our businesses without the threat of crime, congestion
or exorbitant taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>By properly
planning for growth and economic development, we can maintain our character
and appearance – that makes us distinctive and creates a high degree of
civic pride.<span 
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>People are attracted
to communities like Moscow for this very reason; we care about managing
our resources whether its water, farmland or downtown.</font>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Garamond">Our
attractiveness will not go unnoticed however.<span 
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>People
will seek to move to places that value their communities and protect their
resources and their economies.<span 
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Communities
active in promoting economic development will be more attractive if they
equally value and protect their resources and manage how new growth is
addressed.<span 
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We must also be mindful
of the degree of regulations and costs associated with developing and maintaining
a business here in Moscow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Regulations
must be compatible with the need to earn a profit and provide a sustainable,
realistic business environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Healthy
communities are those that recognize the balance between these two equally
important priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Growth needs
to occur carefully, guided by considerations of property tax impacts, burdens
on public infrastructure and community values.</font>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

Our
attempt to help forge a vision for future economic development is not occurring
in a vacuum or with a wanton disregard for community values.We
are all mindful of our community, its strengths and assets. However, we
are also mindful of the perception of outsiders that Moscow is perceived
as “anti-business”. We will continue to fight this notion. All of this
will factor into any economic development plan we create and will include
an active, healthy dialogue with all facets of our community.We
all agree that there is a clear need to improve dialogue between stakeholders
and enhance collaborations so that economic development efforts are strategic,
consistent, effective and well designed. A strategic economic development
plan is needed to guide such efforts.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

There
continues to be broad support for the commitment the City has made toward
developing such a plan. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Moscow
Chamber of Commerce, I want to thank the City for the commitment they have
made and we believe these efforts will produce long term, sustainable benefits
for our community.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Garamond">Jon
Kimberling, President</font>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Garamond">Moscow
Chamber of Commerce</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p></o:p></blockquote>

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