By Vesna Breznikar
I served my first four-year term as Planning Commissioner and stepped down after two years into my second term. I felt frustrated by all the luxury applications to the Planning Department and the inclusion of hotels with every project that was presented to us. On the other hand, we were able to procure a large amount of low-income housing for our town because of the requirements set by the city on large developments.
The Planning Commission works in a collaborative way with the Planning Department and the City Council. Commissioners are selected by the council and advise the city on the merit of upcoming projects. We keep in mind the wishes of the residents and protect the environment and our tree inventory. The city’s Master Plan sets the ultimate building regulations. The city Design Guidelines pinpoint requirements for proposed developments.
However, these guidelines are not enforceable rules, so there are always compromises in this process. “You can’t always get what you want …” and we did not find a formula for the “missing middle” housing needs. The commissioners study many architectural proposals, and the hours of study can be long. It is a very gratifying experience to have a voice that determines the look of our town, weighing progress against our small-town charm.
I have mixed feelings about the growth of so many high-end developments and feel that we need to diversify our economy and not rely solely on tourism and resorts. Creative industries and educational institutions could bring much more value to our residents and add to a more stable economy. The new commissioner will have a lot of input on the development of the old Syar property. This is an opportunity for middle-income housing and new creative industry rather than another resort.
The city has recently created an Arts and Culture Commission to promote creative ideas and support them both financially and with new regulations. We envision a long overdue 1% fee for art on large projects. This was a lost opportunity on the large developments we are currently building in town. The fee would beautify our city with memorable public art that will add to our current richness of visual art, music and theater venues. Art and culture enrich residents’ and visitors’ experience but have been an overlooked revenue stream for our city.
These are all issues that the Planning Commission will consider on future projects.
Applications for the Planning Commission are available from ra****@********rg.gov, and are due at City Hall by 5:30pm, Aug. 14.
