Jan. 10. [Opinion] When considering any rezoning, such as that proposed for Birkdale Village, Town Commissioners must weigh the impact on established communities against the potential tax revenue, factoring in the additional costs to hard and soft infrastructure expenses to the town.
Spill-over traffic and crime into adjacent neighborhoods must be accounted for before any rezoning approval is given.
Additional density requires additional police, fire and EMT personnel, equipment, training, etc., within the new development, but for surrounding areas as well. These all represent costs to the town. Speeding and blocked streets pose the very real threat that emergency services will be hampered, increasing the potential damage to property and adverse medical and criminal outcomes. This requires more than additional signage. It requires additional, on-going enforcement of criminal, parking and traffic ordinances…