Following is the gist of my campaign platform. It's here as a reference, for you and for me. Feel free to measure what I'm doing now by this, let me know how I'm doing.
With the arrival of the President George Bush Turnpike and DART light rail within the next four years, Rowlett is presented with a unique opportunity to shape and determine its future; to transform a tax-burdened bedroom community into a self-sufficient, viable and sustainable community - a quality place to live and work for the long term. However, we will only get one chance to do it right, so how we proceed from here is important. Thus my "SMART GROWTH" campaign slogan.
One issue is exactly what steps we should be taking to secure quality economic development. The mere presence of the turnpike and light rail will attract economic development, to be sure. However, achieving quality development for the long term, will take work and more time.
It is important to keep in mind that SMART GROWTH is much more than just courting developers. The keys to quality economic development are financial health and "quality of place." These factors are equally important. Together, they can produce a community that is livable, viable and sustainable for the long term.
The foundation of being able to fulfill our potential is economic stability. Through the zoning process, we have the authority to shape our city in conformance with our long range Comprehensive Plan. However, if we are not careful about our economic health, we may be tempted (if not politically forced) to compromise that plan. Inherent in the ability to control development, to get the kind of development we want, is the ability to be patient and to be able to say "no" when appropriate. For quality development, you can bet some incentives will be required. We are, after all, in competition for that development. When construction schedules, incentives and city-provided infrastructure improvements are considered, the return on our investment is, realistically, probably 10-12 years down the road. In the meantime, we have to continue to improve and maintain our neighborhoods and infrastructure. Managing our finances carefully is a predicate to controlling our destiny.
Suburban communities surrounding major metropolitan areas, so-called "ring cities," go through predictable cycles. The development cycle (growth, decay, and sometimes renewal) of these ring cities has been studied and documented. It is neither desirable nor necessary for us to "reinvent the wheel." I have particularly considered William Hudnut's Halfway to Everywhere, a study of ring cities around America (Urban Land Institute 2003). There are numerous lessons for us from the experience of hundreds of other cities. By picking and choosing from these experiences, we should be able to fashion a strategy that is right for Rowlett. That's "SMART GROWTH."
There is a consistent theme in Hudnut's studies: underlying every successful community is livability – quality of place. Some of the actions that that have been found to be effective in achieving are:
• Keeping zoning regulations current.
• Aggressive code enforcement.
• Low or no interest home improvement loans for citizens.
• Green space, streetscaping and landscaping.
Specific to Rowlett, another priority is formalizing a plan to pursue a suitable, comprehensive mixed-use development around the light rail station.
Integral to gaining acceptance for funding some of these items is educating everyone to understand that these are all important components of SMART GROWTH and that they are interdependent. Long term success requires that we excel on all fronts, financial management, neighborhoods, services and development.
There are a number of other things on my personal "wish list," such as a community entertainment venue, a senior's center and a library expansion. Each of these will come with time. Perhaps with some creative partnerships or funding initiatives, sooner rather than later.
We can do this, but if it is to be done right, for the long term, it will be a slow process. In the interim, services will be modest, below the expectations of many. It will not be easy, but the payoff makes it worthwhile. It will be tempting to compromise our long term, best interest goals in favor of short term gain, but we must resist. The philosopher George Santayana once said that "Those who speak most of progress measure it by quantity and not by quality." As with most things in life, the reward of doing it right is worth it. That's SMART GROWTH.
