In a recent Salem News story, Ward 5 Councilor Dave Gamache opines that one of the reasons for the lack of interest in Route One properties is the onerous and time-consuming Peabody regulations
The Salem News: Hard Times on Route One
That's his ward, and that's his opinion, and he's entitled to it. Is there more going on here, though, than the "over regulation" of private capital by the public sector?
The Route One properties have opportunities (intense visibility, excellent highway access) and constraints (weird parcel sizes and shapes, quirks of ownership arrangements, and of course, zoning).
Zoning in its most basic philosophical definition is the idea that the community, not just the individual, ought to have some say on the land uses and physical configuration (setbacks, height, etc.) of a parcel of land. That is why there is NO zoning whatsoever, for example, in Houston, TexASS, where it is assumed that the rights of the individual trump the rights of the community. (I'm kidding! really! Houston has a lot of PRIVATE regulations of land that are embedded in deed restrictions.)
I have always been curious: what does the blogosphere think are the most desirable land uses and configurations of these Route One properties? Simple tax generators like chain restaurants (eg Hooters, gack, can't we do better???), retail, and hotels? Industry? Or what?
To what extent should our local government (legislative or executive) be fighting for development of these parcels, or just letting the "free market" (which isn't free, believe me) operate? Should development be encouraged strictly to increase tax revenues? For other public uses that meet the public good?
I invite your reflections!
Farewell Dark City....
11 years ago
9 comments:
Just some thoughts, but what if we filled Rt1 with strip clubs and seedy motels? What, that's been done already. Ok, scrap that idea.
Option 2, what if we demolished old buildings and created a moon-scape that's an eyesore to neighbors? Maybe we can use it as a set for a post-apocalyptic movie.
Or we could just add a few more trailer parks? These always seem to sell well in Peabody.
But what I think is most likely is a few more senior living centers. Because what Peabody really lacks are older voters who only care abou low taxes. I can really see the mayor getting behind this idea. We can even set-up their own voting precinct.
Problem is that Gamache has never had any vision. He would rather buddy up to greedy developers than actually come up with a plan for revitalizing that stretch of Route 1. It's tragic and it will be his legacy as ward councilor.
OG says...
this Peabody citizen has no hopes and dreams for the stretch of Route 1 that passes thru our city's jusrisdiction to be anything more than a GENERATOR OF TAX REVENUE...the commercial tax money we can suck out of route one investments the better. Blatant American capitalism at its finest my friends...to those of you who want to 'make it special' OG has to wonder if you are currently hooked up to some kind of slow Diprivan drip?
I haven't heard anything about the ward parties? Did they go well? Were they well attended?
I did not attend the party here in Ward 4, but I drove by early in the day as they were setting up.
Word was it got a fairly good turn out.
I went to the Ward 6 party and there was a great turn-out. First time at one of these events since I was kid and I must say it was a really good time.
Wish Peabody did more family-friendly events like this.
The ward 6 party was great. They were packed. There were races, parades, free icecreams,a "free-throw" contest, hotdogs, and a remote control helicopter show.
Barry is the man in 6
Bread and circuses, people, bread and circuses.
Lot of tramp stamps at the Ward 5 party, musta been the gamache campaign committee
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