Growth Policy Amendment

This Tuesday the Council unanimously passed the Growth Policy amendment, with no discussion of the staff recommendations or of the community concern for a balance between density and infrastructure..

A number of Councilmembers including Councilmember Berliner, Councilmember Leventhal, Councilmember Elrich and Councilmember Tractenberg spoke about the importance of the financial plan and how it is going to insure that the needed infrastructure is funded. Mentioned was how the Financial Plan is a public process and that it requires approval by the Planning Board and the Council. What was missing from the discussion is the fact that infrastructure alone will not provide balance and that there needs to be a clear measure for adequacy.

The Sector Plan provides for CLATR and identification of problems, but not until the end of Phase I or the end of Phase II is there any mention of delaying development until intermediate mode share goals are met. Until then existing communities will be forced to deal with increasing congestion.

If the Council argument is correct and you can buy your way out of congestion via the Financial Plan, then why are they loath to support the APFO and loath to have an adequacy test? The existing communities are the losers on this.

Natalie