County Board Chair Scott McDonell shares his thoughts . . . two year moratorium on sprawl.
Grow In, Grow Up: Time for Moratorium on Sprawl
by Scott McDonellGrowth is inevitable. At least in Dane County, it is. How we manage that growth is central to what we do in local government.
It’s a good problem to have, of course. All over the country, small towns and major metro areas are fighting to hang onto their populations, businesses and tax bases as the foreclosure crisis and recession continue to reverberate through local economies. So as we continue to add about 6,000 residents every year, we have nothing to complain about.
But as we debate the future of the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission and think about the important challenges before us, we have to bring to the front of our minds one important distinction: that is, the difference between growth and sprawl.
Growth is inevitable. Sprawl is not. And I think we have a good opportunity now to stop, take a breath, and take a serious look at how we can grow in an intelligent and responsible manner.
To that end, today I call for a two-year moratorium on sprawl. Sprawl is caused in large part when communities expand their urban services, such as water and sewer lines, to allow for new residential development. In Dane County, it is the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission that approves these requests.
Let me be clear: this is not a moratorium on growth. In fact, Dane County can continue to add new housing stock without sprawl.
The Wisconsin State Journal recently reported a glut of real estate inventory at every price level. Normally, we have about a 10 month inventory of homes for sale; today, that inventory is 13 and a half months, the highest it’s been in more than a decade. The last thing we need right now is more homes on the market. In addition, there are hundreds of acres of vacant lots that already have been approved for development. A moratorium on sprawl will ease the glut of real estate that has kept these existing homes from selling.
Similarly, every community in this county has opportunities for infill development within its borders. Developers would rather plow farmland under, because it’s easier and cheaper for them. But growing in, and growing up, through infill development is a more environmentally and fiscally responsible way to grow.
In addition, nearly everyone would agree that smart growth must be well-planned. Municipalities throughout the county are in the process of drafting and negotiating Future Urban Development Agreements, but most are not yet complete. I do not believe we should force these agreements to be hurried; rather, we should give communities more time to do their due diligence and strike deliberate, well-considered agreements. A two-year moratorium on new sprawl will allow this.
But perhaps the most compelling argument for a moratorium on sprawl is also the simplest: we can’t afford it.
As things stand now, County taxpayers will be on the hook for more than $850,000 just for the staff time required to process applications and plans for new development. It’s no secret that Governor Walker and the Republican legislature are crushing local governments’ ability to fund critical services for seniors, the homeless, the disabled, and other vulnerable populations. At this juncture, fully funding staff time and paperwork to convert farmland to subdivisions is not a spending priority. Especially when that paperwork will undermine the ability of current homeowners to sell, and will slow crucial infill development, the only course of action that makes sense is to take a break from sprawl.
Two years from now, the political landscape may be very different. Until then, let’s leave the rural landscape alone.
Scott McDonell is Chair of the Dane County Board of Supervisors.
