This update from the Wilderness Society caught my attention. It shows that concerned citizens and active governments can still make a difference in their communities and for the environment:
Comments from WildAlert Subscribers Made the Difference!
On Tuesday, June 29, 2004, Scott County, Minnesota, Commissioners unanimously rejected a permit for an amphitheater that would have been aimed directly at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge south of the Twin Cities.
“We’re really appreciative that the county commissioners considered the interests of the citizens, citizens who value the National Wildlife Refuge in their community,” said Richard Schultz, Refuge Manager. “As a manager, it’s gratifying to know that folks, both regionally and nationally, care about this refuge.”
The planned amphitheater would have included outdoor seating for over 19,000 people, parking for 5200 cars and a 72-foot-high stage. In addition to noise and traffic problems for nearby residential areas, the commission chairperson cited “interference with the refuge” as a factor in the decision.
This is a case that points out the importance of local control, that local governments should and will, with citizen support, stand up for their communities. A staunch DFLer from Louisville Twp. said her township had been working hard to stop this facility. They are blessed with a savvy Board that understands its rights, and thankfully they have enough of a budget to do the job. According to the STrib article (below), the developer “had not approached” two of the affected townships, perhaps because they’re not used to dealing with a zoning scheme where local governments can develop more restrictive land uses – where locals rule.
As your Representative, I plan to author legislation that would provide funding and technical assistance to townships for use on zoning and land-use issues, whether for planning or emergency help. A township often needs someone who knows zoning law or planning methods to frame their first Comprehensive Plan, or to narrow down options if they are looking for a particular change. In this case, the township could have used a sound expert to model the impact of the amphitheater, or conducted a traffic count, both of which could be presented to support its case for denial of the developer’s permit. A township could also use help to determine appropriate density or septic capacity in a growing area, how much development can come in safely without overtaxing shoreland, or to prepare the initial written survey for planning or hire a facilitator to help township citizens talk about their community priorities. Without this help, because land-use decisions are pretty much irreversible, townships may be hesitant to make decisions, or make ones that have no basis and are a “best guess” and which then could be subject to suit. The purpose of this kind of help is empowerment – to provide townships the expertise they need, be it facilitating, legal, engineering, whatever, to help make it a community with the standards of those living there, to give them the tools and confidence to make that happen.
Scott County is described by many as one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Towns and townships there are feeling the struggles and conflict that come with a rapid influx of people and development. Yesterday, I talked with a resident of Cedar Lake Township, and when I asked him what issues he was concerned about, waved his hand across the panoramic view and said, “It’s a zoo! All this development is crazy. We’re going to reseed our back lawn here and put it up for sale.” All across the county, it seems the development exceeds the ability of most to keep planning ahead of it. How can you make good decisions in that environment? And how can anyone make good decisions and plan without expertise and training? We need to invest in our local governments.
Thankfully, in the case of Louisville Township, they had a core of citizens ready to speak out and a Board willing to stand up for its citizens. One big concern they had about the project was traffic, commonly heard as a concern regarding development proposed in Northfield. The report says that they planned for 5,200 parking spaces for a 19,000 seat amphitheater, which assumes 3-4 people per car. Imagine the entire population of Northfield, plus another 15%, arriving and leaving all at once over the course of a day, with 5,200 cars!
Or imagine having your neighbor’s musical tastes inflicted on you at 110 dB(A)!
Citizens with the imagination to understand what was at stake and who took the time to register their heartfelt thoughts made the difference. This is how change is made and how people can have influence over policy. It’s called democracy.
Here’s how the story appeared in the StarTribune:
Scott County turns down amphitheater