MITIGATING ADVERSE
EFFECTS OF NEW
CONSTRUCTION
I
would like to suggest that a certain portion of the reserves,
perhaps something
in the area of $75,000.00, be set aside, for the purpose of
alleviating
negative effects of new construction in the Town on neighbors
(including, but
not limited to, issues of privacy, easement rights and
storm-water management),
the tree canopy, and the quality of life in the community as a
whole.
This would include addressing negative consequences that may
have been foreseen
when the building permit was granted, but which were thought to
have lesser
impact than has, in fact, occurred, and negative impacts that
were totally
unforeseen. Funds would be available to resolve problems
on a no-fault
basis, and determined by an assessment of the actual damage
caused the neighbor
or the community, or the tree canopy, or storm water management,
etc.; and
what, as a practical matter, can be done to alleviate the
undesirable condition
caused by the new construction. At the high end, such
expenditures could
involve actual purchases by the Town of land; at the low end,
landscaping
solutions, and mediation.
With
respect to the amount to be allocated for this purpose, I have
tentatively
suggested $ 75,000.00. This might be entirely adequate, if
there are
relatively few residents with this particular need---or it
could, on the other
hand, be the case that the figure needs to be considerably
higher. While
some residents may have been able to adjust on their own quite
nicely to the
consequences on their quality of life and enjoyment of their own
property, in
view of the perpetual building boom in Town and consequent
construction of
large new homes in their immediate neighborhood; it is quite
possible that a
significant number of others have not. Because the conditions
and the
consequences are potentially so varied, the nature of possible
solutions, and
therefore the amount of money needed to make such solutions
possible, are also
going to also be quite varied.
Before
setting an actual amount aside to meet these particular needs, I
would suggest
that the Town staff send out a questionnaire to determine just
how widespread
the need actually is, and the nature of the kinds of solutions
the Town would
be looking at.
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