Re: SG-W:/ Sylvan Township

[Anne Heise <aheise@orchard.wccnet.org>]

Dave,

Here's to you!

I think the few courageous people who are willing to step up to the
challenge of political engagement on the sprawl issue deserve all the
support they can get.  If you'll give me a call, I'd be glad to offer some
help on the issues you raise in your message.  If were both at Thursday
night's Sierra Club meeting, we could talk there as well; my plans are
uncertain.

Doug Cowherd
662-5205

On Tue, 9 May 2000, David Brooks wrote:

> 
> I turned my petitions in to be a candidate for Sylvan Township 
> supervisor yesterday. I'm running as a non-partisan candidate which 
> will be tough but I couldn't bring myself to even pretend to a 
> republican. Since last September, I've been following this e-mail 
> group, going to classes, buying books and reading every thing I can 
> find on land-use-planning. The frustrating part is that I haven't 
> found anything that has ever worked. I've read the personal files of 
> a friend of mine that tried to save some of Canton Township in the 
> early 80s. Nothing worked and he moved up north.
> 
> The fundamental question is how to stop population density increases 
> and yet be fair to existing landowners.
> 
> These are the techniques that I see as having potential in Sylvan Township:
> 
> 1.    Large lot zoning (2, 5, 10, 20, 40 acres per house).
> 2.    Buying vacant land for parks.
> 3.    Buying Property Development Rights (PDRs).
> 4.    Zoning with Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs).
> 5.    Encouraging the donation of Land to Parks, PDRs, Conservation 
> Easements, etc.
> 
> If you know of others let me know. I'm always looking for ways to 
> keep Sylvan Township sylvan.
> 
> Having heard about a technique is one thing, getting it implemented 
> is quite another. At the moment I'm looking for potential 
> consultants. So far, everyone that I've been exposed to just spouts 
> the party line, collects their fee, and watches sprawl march on. The 
> current township board and planning commission think I'm crazy so the 
> chances of getting anything done before the elections are slim.
> 
> Dave



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