New Castle County Comprehensive Plan Update
Public Involvement Meeting Schedule: Date - Topic
Public Involvement Meeting Schedule: Date - Topic
Thursday, December 2, 2010 - Kickoff meeting
Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - Land Use
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - Land Use
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 - Mobility & Transportation
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - Water and Sewer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - Conservation and Natural Resources
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - Historic Preservation and Housing
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - Economic Development
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - Community Design
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 - Inter-governmental Coordination
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - Inter-governmental Coordination
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 - Future Land Use and Implementation Strategies
All meetings are to be held from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at the New Castle County Government Center - Gillian Building, 77 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720.
Dates and/or topics are subject to change. This schedule will be updated on the project web site: http://projects.jmt.com/new-castle-county-comprehensive-plan/Default.aspx
Interested persons may sign up at this web site for automatic updates and newsletters
Interested persons may also “follow us” on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NewCastle_2012 to receive the fastest updates, including any last minute meeting changes which may occur due to weather emergencies.
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From my notes: Paul Clark kicked off the Comprehensive Plan Update saying that...
the process should reflect on what is not now working in the NCC Comprehensive Plan and enable decisions about what changes have to be made. After mentioning the economy, the troubled housing market and the polarizing nature of NCC's often misunderstood Land Use Department, Clark told a little story about neighbor "A" and neighbor "B" and an apple tree to illustrate the rights of a property owner to cut down the tree to build a residence for an in-law. Take that one hundred times over, he said, for a farmer who wants to sell his farm to provide buyers a hundred new homes. Clark then brushed off concerns about the increased traffic, etc. those new homes would bring.
the process should reflect on what is not now working in the NCC Comprehensive Plan and enable decisions about what changes have to be made. After mentioning the economy, the troubled housing market and the polarizing nature of NCC's often misunderstood Land Use Department, Clark told a little story about neighbor "A" and neighbor "B" and an apple tree to illustrate the rights of a property owner to cut down the tree to build a residence for an in-law. Take that one hundred times over, he said, for a farmer who wants to sell his farm to provide buyers a hundred new homes. Clark then brushed off concerns about the increased traffic, etc. those new homes would bring.
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Dan Culver, the General Manager of the NCC Land Use Dept. (who, curiously, doesn't even reside in our county) gave a run-down on projected topics for the update.
What I captured of the power point presentation from my notes:
- Zoning Classification - urban or commercial?
- Transportation Standards - Level of Service or subregional studies/TID districts
- Economic Development - attract/retain jobs
- AL NCC - major industry?
- Open Space - zoning? public or private? guaranteed?
- Traditional Neighborhood Design - mixed use/walkable/streets
(I sent CompPlan12@nccde.org an email this morning to ask when information would be posted as promised - so far there is nothing on their web site from the Dec. 2nd meeting. I didn't expect to have to take extensive notes on a power point - it should be available on the web site).
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We can glean a bit more about what's in store for us from Harry Themal's column this week: 'Best-prepared' Clark placing his own stamp on NCCo government
Perhaps the most important responsibility Clark faces is the process now under way to update the county's comprehensive development plan, and the probable resulting changes in zoning and the land use code. He stresses the need for rethinking whether the county has too much industrial-zoned land, when no industry is coming; whether more land shouldn't be zoned to allow greater-density homes and whether that would create more affordable housing; what is the best way to redevelop older sites, citing the controversy over the Pilot School property; and whether some zoning classifications make sense.
Clark says as council president he was fairly powerless, just one vote among many, but that his new job has forced him and his wife of 10 years, attorney Pam Scott, who represents developers, to reassess their roles to assure no hint of conflict even with the firewall he has built. "Twice in the last six years I've told her to say the word and I'm out of here. ... She's trying to maneuver a way out, but this is not an environment [for a lawyer] to make a left turn [in the type of practice]. All an attorney is is a representative; if they cross the line, they can be disbarred." He asks that the couple be given time to work things out so there is not even a hint of impropriety.
OKAAAAAAAAAAAAY. When Governor Markell's just finished telling us that he's planning to reinvent the state's economy as an incubator for innovation and clean energy manufacturing, how does that jibe with Clark's vision for wiping out our industrial lands to make way for more dense housing development? Oh yeah, that's how he and his wife make their millions.
There's real trouble in river city here folks. I learned the following from Adam Taylor this morning on the front page above the fold of the WNJ:
ReplyDeleteClark ostensibly is planning to deny Mark Weinberg a reappointment to the Planning Board because of his vote to stop Pam Scott's client from rezoning industrial land to commercial use.
Clark denies it through a spokesperson this morning. But when his wife came before council Clark couldn't resist commenting that he took exception to Weinberg's comments about better paying jobs through industrial use rather than retail pay levels as a consideration.
Clark being vocal --even while in supposed recusal because of his wife's represenation-- declared that HE WAS OFFENDED by Weinberg's position having come from a retail background and evidently both Jea Street and Penrose Hoollins chimed in that they also found the position offensive and "elitist".
But we then find Clark being vocal again before his wife when he spoke in front of the public who attended the Comp Plan Update kick off meeting. Clark made no bones about the need to rezone industrial lands "because there was no industry coming to NCC" as per my notes in this post.
And then Clark reiterated these same words for his interview with Harry Themal above.
Three strikes and the firewall is indeed a crumbled mess at our feet. I am planning to get after Clark, Street and Hollins this morning on the John Watson show. What do the residents of NCC and in particular of Wilmington think of the notion that the low-paying jobs of retail are welcome and acceptable compared to the middle class livelihood that industrial jobs bring to the community.
Rather than spouting that industry isn't coming so give it up, we should be looking at the facts behind the searing pace of housing construction in our state up until the housing bubble burst. I submit that we didn't try to bring in anything but housing for the last decade. It was too easy, too lucrative and too fast to resist.
Let's not keep making the same mistakes.
Once we rezone massive acrea of land over to commercial like Mr. Pam Scott-Paul Clarky and Clark's right hand man Mr. Culver intend for us, it will be then available for yet more housing under mixed use provision in teh code.
We need to retain our zoned industrial lands and market our county for more than bedrooms and retail communities. After all, wasn't it the WalMart employees who were eligible for food stamps and Medicaid and encouraged to seek public support as store policy?
Ethically, no one should ignore that Pam Scott-Paul Clarky can fire any of his staff at will so they must jump through hoops at his behalf. Why do you think that the County Attorney would be scoffing like he is if it want' a pathetic panacea for jopb security?
Three times and you're out, Mr. Clark. You keep telling everyone that you and your land use dept. agree that they way forward is to rezone industrial lands to commercial. The News Journal exposed why you are taking this position this morning. It is because that is what your wife wants. Commercial zone allows for mixed-use retail and housing just like for the property she was denied at the Potts Welding site.
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