Letter: Why Rush Williamstown's Proposed Zoning Changes?
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To the Editor:
I am writing to express my concern about the rushed way that the Williamstown Planning Board is proposing to rewrite the town's zoning code.
There are two possible outcomes to the proposed changes, which are so numerous I doubt even the members of the Board can enumerate them all.
The first is that they won't accomplish much. In that case, there is obviously no need to rush them through.
The second is that they lead to the creation of many more housing units. These units are likely — indeed, practically guaranteed — to be expensive. Developers like to maximize their profits and, remarkably enough, there are no provisions in the proposed changes to mandate or incentivize the construction of lower-cost units.
A significant number of new housing units in town, even if most are purchased by second-home buyers, would have myriad potential impacts. They could reduce the amount of farmland and open space in Williamstown. By increasing the number of septic systems, they may harm water quality. They would likely lead to increased traffic. Almost certainly, they would increase the demand for town services. This last effect would require a commensurate increase in the town's budget.
Unfortunately, the Planning Board seems to have done little to no research into any of these potential impacts. This is another — and crucial — reason the changes should not be rushed. Meanwhile, there was minimal public input into the proposed changes — yet another reason to allow more time.
I believe the residents of Williamstown deserve a lot more information before the community is asked to vote on the proposal the Planning Board has put forward.
Sincerely,
Betsy Kolbert
Williamstown, Mass.
Tags: zoning,
