| Health,
schools, taxes, traffic, the environment, economic growth, fairness,
opportunity-many of the things we care about-are all affected by development
decisions. From the length of our daily commute to the price of a
new home to the safety of our neighborhoods-what, where, and how we
build have major impacts on our personal lives, our communities, and
our nation.
Growth presents
a tremendous opportunity for progress. Communities around the country
are looking for ways to get the most out of new development and
to maximize their investments. Frustrated by development that requires
residents to drive long distances between jobs and homes, many communities
are challenging rules that make it impossible to put workplaces,
homes, and services closer together. Many communities are questioning
the fiscal wisdom of neglecting existing infrastructure while expanding
new sewers, roads, and services into the fringe. Even new infrastructures,
when planned correctly, can add value to existing infrastructure
and services within the community or region. And in many communities
where development has improved daily life, the economy, and the
environment, smart growth principles have been key to that success.
When communities
choose smart growth strategies, they can create new neighborhoods
and maintain existing ones that are attractive, convenient, safe,
and healthy. They can foster design that encourages social, civic,
and physical activity. They can protect the environment while stimulating
economic growth. Most of all, they can create more choices for residents,
workers, visitors, children, families, single people, and older
adults-choices in where to live,
how to get around, and how to interact with the people around them.
Smart growth principles can work very well on a regional level or
across community borders as well, sharing resources to get the best
development possible for their communities. When communities do
this kind of planning, they preserve the best of their past while
creating a bright future for generations to come.
Growth
is smart when it gives us great communities, with more choices and
personal freedom, good return on public investment, greater opportunity
across the community, a thriving natural environment, and a legacy
we can be proud to leave our children and grandchildren.
This is smart growth!
Sustainable
Development Principles
WHY
THIS GRANT AT THIS TIME
PROPERTY TAX ISSUE
Town is experiencing continuing pressure on property taxes. It is
expected that an
override vote will be taken this year to add approximately $3.5m
to tax collections. Alternatives to an override (a tax increase)
include significant cuts to town and school operations.
Long term response
to property tax pressure is to expand the tax base. Walpole has
seen a shift in the tax base:
- in 1985, residential taxpayers paid 76% of taxes and
commercial/industrial paid 24%
- in 2007, residential will be 85% and C/I 15%
- industrial tax share has dropped from 7.3% to 5%
NEED FOR
DEVELOPMENT SITES
Walpole does not have many large real estate sites to recruit desirable
businesses. In order to produce sites attractive to businesses,
planning is necessary. Planning
includes looking at lot sizes, transportation access, water and
sewer availability,
utility availability, zoning, special features, impacts on neighbors,
potential tax
implications, market factors and job creation.
OPPORTUNITY
FOR MORE STATE GRANTS
Smart Growth has become a very popular concept that is becoming
the foundation
for the state to award other grants. It is expected that the Patrick
administration will guide its grants to municipalities demonstrating
an embrace of Smart Growth
principles. These grants could include:
-PWEDs
-CDAGs
-Brownfield grants
-MORE Jobs (a new $100m fund)
TEMPLATE
FOR FUTURE SMART GROWTH PROJECTS
While this grant is clearly focused on Route 1A at the border with
Norfolk, we will
use the grant to establish the basis for other potential development
projects,
particularly the approach of including both town-wide and very localized
citizen
input.
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