Date: Fri 27-Sep-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

NNC-neighborhoods-coalition

Full Text:

Neighborhoods Coalition Petitions For A Moratorium

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

The Newtown Neighborhoods Coalition, a citizens group concerned over the rapid

pace of continuing residential growth, has collected 1,427 petition signatures

in its drive to have the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) place a

six-month moratorium on the receipt of new residential subdivision

applications.

Nine coalition members gathered Wednesday in front of Edmond Town Hall to

explain their drive to have the town put the brakes on residential growth so

that local land use rules can be rewritten to make it more difficult to build

homes.

Eric Roundy, a coalition spokesman, said the petition is being given to the

P&Z to provide it with "a sense of the town" about continuing residential

growth.

"In some instances, the signatures were hard won. Unlike other single-issue

petitions, this petition provoked a need for explanation and often debate," Mr

Roundy said.

"The (coalition) conducted this `sense of the town' petition because we

believe that Newtown is facing a crisis caused by extraordinary residential

growth that is resulting in escalating taxes, overcrowded schools, strained

town services, a stagnant and declining market for existing homes, serious

problems with groundwater, and the loss of rural character that we all

cherish," he said.

The backlog of building lots which the town has approved will continue to

nurture the local building industry, according to Mr Roundy.

The houses that will be built on lots that have been approved represent

potential municipal tax increases in the future, Mr Roundy said.

"The P&Z is currently flooded with new subdivision applications leaving little

time for (the P&Z) to reflect on regulation changes that are mandated by the

1993 Newtown plan of development," according to Mr Roundy, a Buttonball Drive

resident. He is among the members of the Rocky Glen Area Association who

protested the controversial Whispering Pines subdivision.

Mr Roundy urged P&Z members to endorse the call for a moratorium to preserve

the town's rural qualities. He said the coalition will work with the P&Z in

revising town land use rules.

The coalition recently presented the P&Z with a variety of proposed rule

changes intended to make it more difficult to build in Newtown and thus reduce

potential housing densities.

Mr Roundy first called for a moratorium in April at a town forum held to air

residents' concerns over continuing residential development.

In April, P&Z members decided against enacting a moratorium, saying that to do

so would be illegal.

The petition forms call for a moratorium to allow land use regulations to be

revised in light of: sharply higher taxes; overcrowded schools; a strained

town infrastructure; strained town services; depressed real estate values for

existing houses; a stagnating market for existing houses; a loss of the town's

rural character; domestic well water problems; and groundwater pollution.

The coalition doesn't oppose development but wants to inject a sense of reason

into the town's development system, Mr Roundy said.

The main issue is: what constitutes an acceptable housing density, he said.

Much has happened since the P&Z rejected the concept of a moratorium last

April, Mr Roundy said.

Residents are now more aware of the issues stemming from increased

development, he said. "We're not coming out of left field with this stuff," he

said.

The existing land use regulations aren't timely or strong enough to deal with

the developmental pressures now facing the town, he said.

Mr Roundy said the coalition's membership now stands at more than 125 from all

income brackets.