5.9 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Governance/Management own boundaries while what are really area titian for tax base:and. maintain trad t ona: -arri Sprawl wide problems have little basis for regional municipal services-helping improve the "Urban sprawl"could be characterized consideration, debate and solution. quality of life for citizens of the metropolitan as- unplanned and unmanaged growth— SEMCOG currently provides the forum for area by creating more equity between the very antithesis of comprehensive and what consideration-is given tosuch issues, needed resources and the ability-to-pay of coordinated land use planning. Such butitoperatespnmarilyinanadvisoryman- the area's citizens. Special consideration sprawl is the likely outcome of a planning ner, leaving actual implementation of re- should be given to the benefits of municipal • "process"that includes 234 local units of gional policies and plans to local govern- tax base sharing in balancing public re- government and as many planning com- ments(some of which are not members of sources. missions, as well as more than 100 local SEMCOG and are absent from the inter- 2) In order to combat racial discrimina- school districts. The end result is more governmentaldebateonimportantissues). tion and re-segregation in Southeast Mich- than 300 plans that are unrelated,uncoor- igan, all communities must adopt and ag- dinated. RECOMMENDATIONS gressively support antidiscrimination pro- That fragmentation is a by-product of Principal Conclusion grams as well as more effectively enforce the state and the region's strong tradition Continuing the pattern of `urban sprawl" existing anti-discrimination laws in housing of local home rule—local governments is unacceptable. It will diminish the quality and employment. Public and private created and empowered by the state with of life in Southeast Michigan—both its ex- schools must implement comprehensive basic responsibility for their own opera- pensive suburban fringe development and programs that establish racial and cultural tions and destinies. Each community its parallel disinvestment and abandon- understanding within all elements of the makes planning, zoning and develop- ment of older urban communities. curriculum of each district, school and ment decisions that make the most sense classroom. for that community and its future. When An Action Framework 3) A set of land use planning guidelines aggregated, the local plans do not repre- A series of cooperative public and pri- for both regional reviews and local land use sent a logical approach to development of vate sector actions must be taken to mini- plans must be developed. Such guidelines the overall region, largely because each mize urban sprawl in order to maintain should be based on these objectives: a) community plans for its preferred future, and/or improve the quality of life throughout encouraging more compact development rather than its likely future. There are, for Southeast Michigan. Over the next 20 that would conserve land and most eff i- example, almost twice as many acres lo- years: ciently use infrastructure;b) protecting en- cally zoned for light industrial develop- 1)Changes must be made that will make vironmentally sensitive and agriculturally ment as the most optimistic projections certain that growth at the suburban fringe valuable lands; c) improving the balance for such development over the next 20 bears its own real costs, rather than being between location of jobs and housing;and, years. subsidized through hidden or deferred d)preserving existing infrastructure and en- costs previously borne by all citizens and couraging redevelopment of older/urban taxpayers; communities. Each community makes 2) Specific legislative actions must be 4)A mandatory regional planning review planning, zoning and taken that will lead to appropriate govern- process must be created, to review all pro- development decisions that mental and private sector initiatives to rede- posed public and private developments that • make the most sense for velop and improve the quality of life in would have area wide or multicommunity older/urban communities, by providing impact. that community and its jobs, stabilizing revenue resources and 5) State legislation must require "con- future. When aggregated, broadening the range of development currency"for new development—that is, the local plans do not choices available to businesses as well as necessary roads,sewers and other infra- to families seeking better housing and qual- structure should already be in place to represent a logical approach ity of life; maintain acceptable service levels as to development of the 3) Actions must be taken that will drive needed while developments are corn- overall region. solutions to various social problems-racial pleted. In addition, the legislation must discrimination,educational equity and qual- enable local communities to assess un- ity, public safety and affordable housing— pact fees through which development All too often, adjoining communities each to make certain that there is an acceptable would pay the true costs of additional create local plans that call for aggressively quality of life for all citizens of the metropol- municipal capital costs generated by the seeking growth and development(for the tax itan area;and, development. dollars that follow). That competition often 4) Changes must be made in the way 6)Available federal and state resources overrules good planning and contributes sig- Southeast Michigan is taxed, governed must be prioritized to combat future "urban nificantly to the urban sprawl problem. and managed—"regional home rule" sprawl"by helping support redevelopment, That problem becomes particularly dif- changes that will help local governments maintenance and rehabilitation of ficult because of the growing interde- effectively address the proliferation of older/urban communities—including use of pendence of local governments within the area wide issues and problems that are infrastructure funds, tax abatements, de- seven-county region.A variety of govern- beyond the capacity of our local home velopment incentives and location of gov- mental issues transcend local political rule process. ernment facilities. boundaries—environmental protection, 7)The region must revamp its transpor- both air and water; transportation, both Action Recommendations tation system to meet regional needs by roadways and public transit; social con- 1)A careful analysis must be made of the instituting an area wide tax to fund needed cerns, including affordable housing, pub state and region's over-reliance on the local transportation improvements, including im- lic health, education, public safety; eco- property tax,inordertoidentifythechanges plementation of public transit alternatives nomic development activities; and, such that would enhance and serve the stabilize- that will be needed to find a better balance between that tax and other revenue op tion and redevelopment of the existing tax abatements and privatizing services. tions. Such a better balance would help urban areas and relieve traffic congestion But, local governments generally work bring equity to public school finance; help in outlying areas. ❑ 41110 individually on such problems within their diminish the problems of municipal compe- 10 Planning& Zoning News0/November 1991