Archive: Opinions

In recent sewer discussions, the pro-sewer folks seem to often make the point that ‘development is going to happen no matter what.’ I for one don’t buy into this line of reasoning. One extension of this logic, for example, is that there is no point in exercising or taking care of ourselves because ‘we’re going to get old and die no matter what.’ For many of us, it isn’t a question of what is going to happen ‘no matter what’, but rather a question of how slowly and gradually it happens and the quality of our life and surroundings during that time.

A second argument made for sewer is that it will allow the town to ‘control’ development better so as to preserve the rural character of the town. I’m not sure about this either. First of all, as has been noted elsewhere, towns have the ability to control development through zoning laws. The sewer is more of a technical detail for developers to determine the level of density and whether or not the project is cost-effective. After all, if money was not an issue, any developer can and sometimes will build their own sewage treatment system. But why would they pay to build it if they can fool a town into building it for them?

Next, let’s assume that the town center is developed as planned. Now those of us who live in South Lansing would find ourselves between two commercial areas, the Village of Lansing and the Lansing Town Center. What do you suppose is going to happen between those two commercial areas? It seems to me that the line about preserving the rural character of Lansing really means preserving North Lansing at the expense of South Lansing. If the town center happens, then I envision Dan’s story of Rockford, Illinois happening quickly right here along North Triphammer Rd.

Will the sewer save the taxpayers money and mitigate tax losses from the power plant in the long run? It’s possible, I guess. Although there are additional costs that come with development, and a sewer is hardly any guarantee of financial stability. Personally, I would rather support the school septic replacement and/or see the town assist the Ladoga Park residents mitigate their septic problems as separate bond proposals while retaining Lansing’s open spaces. I’m not naive enough to think that this can happen for free, but it’s a price that I am more willing to pay, as opposed to sacrificing the character of my town and encouraging development. Dan Veaner makes the point that the only sure way to protect against development is for “sewer naysayers to buy the town and preserve its rural character.” I don’t know about buying the town, but I’m willing to pay little extra if it means we don’t have to encourage development to solve our problems.

Mariano Garcia
Lansing, NY

v9i18