SUO SPEAKS

Two interesting posts by Suo appeared on my last entry so here they are.

****NIMBYism As A Positive****

The town has been planning for mitigation of the rotary for about 15 years. The state has done virtually nothing of consequence. Middleborough has been continually planned its business parks with the knowledge that eventually the rotary will have to be eliminated. This will help the town maximize tax base.

The first state sponsored meeting I attended regarding the rotary was about 13 years ago at the High School. The state has done virtually nothing of consequence since (A few things may be on the horizon)

Our town planner has worked tirelessly to ensure the town will be prepared once the state releases funds. There is little chance those funds will be released in these austere times. Planning on our side still has to continue.

The casino money has provided the positive result that our town planner can concentrate on many aspects of planning instead of policing the size of trees in subdivisions.

Providing town ambulance service has always been accentuated by a question mark. Over time we have been told the town would generate income by providing ambulance service and later told we would loose money.

Being able to conduct such studies is positive regardless of the casino.

NIMBYism (Not in my back yard) is frequently a very positive planning tool and should not always have negative connotations. When a private or government concern plans something, people affected most will point out the deleterious aspects and force others to rethink the process. That is positive.

NIMBYism is hypocritical when people just want something in another's back yard. What I admire about the casino NIMBYs is that most do not want it anyone's back yard, as demonstrated by Casino "Free" Mass.

For casino NIMBYs, playing ostrich (believing it is completely dead) is not a good planning tool. If people perceive the prospect of the casino as either negative or positive the town should plan for the worse outcome, and work towards the best (elimination of the casino is best for many) Mr. Rullo was correct in this regard; we need to plan until we are 100% sure it will not occur. Nothing is over until it is over.

Some positive results of NIMBYism in Middleborough are: The adult zoning bylaw; cluster zoning; extensive mitigation for residents in the town's industrial parks; the Nichols Middle School, the intersection of 105 & 28, and Oak Point. I can elaborate on those issues if people ask.

All of these issues go hand in hand with planning. Having our very knowledgeable town planner, health officer, building inspector being proactive instead of reactive is essential.

The casino and NIMBYism have produced many positive impacts on the town's collective mentality. More people are becoming aware of the finer aspects and necessities of planning. This is something that will hopefully maintain inertia. Perhaps people will start attending those boring, yet very important, Planning Board and Zoning Board meetings.

NIMBYism does not give the right for people to trespass on private posted property multiple times.

*******On An Ugly Note*****

The Rotary: Massachusetts' potential version of Hurricane Katrina

The rotary has the possibility to be a mass death trap. If the nightmare of an evacuation occurs (as the result of man-made or natural disaster) people will follow those state posted blue "evacuation route" signs to the rotary. It would be similar to wildebeest stampeding into a raging river. Thus the rotary is more than a local planning issue. The state should have rectified the rotary when money was flush.

All of this are just my knuckleheaded opinions.

****NIMBYism Part Two***

An example of NIMBYism making a problem more vexing is SEMASS. SEMASS ended up outside Middleborough borders, but is still in our backyard. We lost the tax revenue and many of the justifiably upset neighbors still have to deal with the offensive aspects.

Most communities are hypocritical trash NIMBYs. They want another town to take their trash.

Then again, our town landfill is in Plympton's back yard.