I am going to make it simple, VOTE "NO" To Builders and Developers "Compromises". It is not a true resolution or compromise for one. In this "fair" compromise there are over 20 statements reducing protections of the people and giving the developers and builders every advantage in dealing with future government and people's objections. Over 5 times the word Remove is used, Delete - 10 times, Replace -1 time, Change - 3 times, and Require 1 time. Should this pass, then every time a concern is voiced then the reply will be: "There is nothing we can do...it is written..."
If this vote moves forward and ends with the passage of the proposed “compromise” - it will NOT demonstrate the will of the people, only those with their own SPECIAL INTERESTS. We saw it with our own eyes a little over a week ago with the catastrophic flash flooding. May I remind you, this same type of flooding also happened this year in Hixson. It is no longer a "hundred year" flood scenario. Mother Nature does not mess around! She is sending a message. The people have seen the messages, our local government has to have seen the messages, even the nation has clearly seen Mother Nature's message - but will you? The County Commission is the representative body that is supposed to be closest to the people and vote in the best interest of the people. You are the people we are supposed to trust. At this point and on this issue, I do not trust your judgement as a sitting body. Many commissioners have already made up their minds and have for a long time. If August 12 does not get you to re-evaluate your viewpoint and vote with the people - Nothing will - you have your own agenda. I leave you with the most egregious statement in the proposed "compromise" because it is the most current indication that you would be wrong to pass legislation that will give all the power to the builders and developers and little to the people. Delete the sentence "Prohibiting development in flood plains ensures necessary storage of floodwaters as development in flood plains is governed by current regulations. HOW WELL DID THOSE REGULATIONS WORK on August 12th? Better yet, and perhaps the most telling proposed compromise is to "reduce development in flood plains by 25%. Right now development is 100%. Really, designated flood plains can still be developed up to 75%. When you cover up the flood plains, nature will answer you back at some point. When it is just one or two individual home owners complaining it gets covered up, when national news covers the story, it is not so easy to cover up. Another statement in the compromise would like to see environmental and other protections diminished.
The proposed compromise is not a real compromise, and until developers and builders are ready to rely not on their political connections and partners, but to work for a true compromise, then I urge you to put a stop to all building of residential unit types until a real plan is developed. A plan that does not rely on a shell game intended to deliberately confuse others through verbiage and changes in designation definition types to try to convince people that the compromise is "fair". It is "fair" for the developers and builders but it is not fair to the people who will be affected today, tomorrow, and into the future.
Sincerely,
Linda Walker