Responsible Development
First and foremost, when new growth is approved, there must be a solid, budgeted plan to ensure that the infrastructure to support the growth will be available as the development progresses. For too long, we seem to accept the notion that schools and roads don’t get fixed until they’re broken. That’s wrong. It’s irresponsible, both for the sake of our children in over-crowded schools, and for our health and safety on dangerous roads. This often means focusing growth where the infrastructure is already there, and then building incrementally outward from those areas. It does NOT mean approving 1,000 home developments in the middle of farmland with poor roads, and no real plan to fix them. That’s essentially what occurred in many parts of District 2, and it’s why I fought so hard against them. We won the fight on Monrovia Town Center but, unfortunately, we weren’t as successful with many others. Protecting Everyone’s Property Rights Discussions about growth often focus on property rights and, typically, only the rights of the developer seem to have a place in the discussion. I don’t agree with that. I have property rights, and so do you! When the exercise of one (or a few) individuals’ property rights impacts people beyond the boundary of the property, then we must have a bigger conversation. When the exercise of those property rights impact the entire county for decades to come, then we must have a very serious discussion, and carefully evaluate ALL of the impacts. |
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