On Thursday, March 12, 2009 George Adams wrote:
"...but in the end environmental considerations cost money and can hardly avoid
having a greater dissuading effect on those who have less money."
Yes, environmental considerations can and sometimes do increase the cost of
housing to a small degree. That increase in costs however is miniscule
compared to the costs generated by the elitist mindsets behind the local zoning
regulations that in many areas preclude all but the most wealthy from being
able to afford to live in a community.
There is plenty of land available in the Town of Ithaca outside stream
corridors and wetland areas that is both suitable for development and has
access to public water and sewer infrastructure. There is great potential for
the development of affordable, walkable, bikeable, environmentally sustainable
and diverse neighborhoods in a number of locations throughout the Town..
That is not going to hapen, though, because all but a tiny percentage of the
land available for development in the Town of Ithaca is zoned for minimum lot
sizes of 15,000 square feet or 30,000 square feet. As a result practically
nobody making less than 6 figures can afford a decent homes in the Town of
Ithaca, new or used. Ergo the Town continues to promote the development of
McMansions and Starter Castles in isolated, racially and economically
homogeneous, auto-dependent, cookie-cutter subdivisions..
The result is more asphalt, more traffic, greenhouse gasses, an even greater
level of social, economic and environmental un-sustainability, and even more
damaged wetland and stream ecosystems and natural habitats to boot.
Don't blame the wetlands and stream corridors for the increased cost of
housing. Elitist community attitude are more often the culprit.
George Frantz
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