HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.0 - Comment - Jim Richard and Bette Brockman November 10, 2020
For the good of the Town
For the good of the Town, we should not abandon common sense when implementing well
intentioned policies. We should avoid making a situation worse in the name of making it better.
Consider the Town’s Green Infrastructure Plan, which is notably designed to conserve water
and decrease pollution. In densely populated areas this can make a huge difference. In rural
areas, it’s not so obvious.
Rural parcels can have plenty of land available for water to percolate down into the water
table. In addition, these lots may already have stands of existing trees. Trees are nature’s
solution to the problem that the Green Infrastructure Plan is trying to solve.
To replace such existing trees and pervious land with a man-made bio-retention system is
questionable at best. Most likely, it would be a predictable step backward. While both can serve
the purpose of conserving water and decreasing run-off pollution, trees do so much more. And
they do it year-round, not just in heavy rains.
As illuminated in our Town’s own Tree Preservation Ordinance (32-79.1):
Trees enhance the natural beauty in our lives.
They help to create and retain the identity and quality of the Town.
They sustain the long-term potential increase in property values.
They maintain the natural ecology and provide habitat for countless mammals and birds.
They absorb excess water from the ground.
They sequester CO2 in the fight against global warming.
They increase the oxygen output in the area which combats air pollution.
They temper the effect of extreme temperatures, beginning with shade.
Quite simply, they are a joy to behold.
Bio-retention basins provide none of these benefits. And yes, they are very expensive.
For the good of the town, sometimes, it’s best to side with Mother Nature and common sense.
Jim Richards and Bette Brockman
1463 Lawrence Road, Danville