How is This Green?
Published in the Blue Stone Press, 9/21/2007
To the Editor:
If the proponents were not serious, I would hardly find the proposals for the Marbletown Green development believable: a 300-450 unit development in the heart of a rural community such as Marbletown. More outlandish is the claim that undertaking the proposed development is ecologically sound and environmentally progressive.
The Marbletown Green (MG) developers, through their public relations, have attempted to set the tone for discussion, mostly through innuendo and omission of fact and context.
MG claims that "growth is inevitable." It follows from this that their development should be allowed to proceed, since if "growth" will happen anyway, it might as well be controlled by a local architect and employ "green" design ideas. This is misleading. The community of Marbletown controls what growth it will or will not allow through zoning laws.
Marbletown has in recent years undertaken extensive public discussion, including surveys of public opinion, in order to formulate a Town Plan and write zoning laws which reflect the wishes of the population. The result was a clear mandate that all development must "preserve the rural character of Marbletown." The public's view was reflected in the overwhelming turnout for the opposition meeting on Aug. 25. It seems that MG and its proponents do not care about the wishes of the community in regards to the scale of development.
The claim has been made that allowing the MG development to proceed will stop other development, perhaps even saving open space in the process. It would be helpful to find out how this is supposed to happen: somehow, building 300+ condos in the heart of Marbletown will prevent others from building homes elsewhere in Marbletown. The opposite is more likely true: allowing MG to proceed will only encourage other developers to build large development.
And there is an elephant in the room: what is the need for this development? We do not need a hamlet, we already have one. Where is the need for 300-450 housing units, upscale shops and art galleries, in Stone Ridge? Is there some pressing issue that calls 'for the radical transformation' of Marbletown into something that it is not and which its residents do not want it to be?
We are supposed to believe that such a development can be "green." It is absurd to claim that the clearing of' productive local agricultural land and its replacement with dense housing (for which there is no need) will be ecologically beneficial.
Lastly, MG is supposed to be "Zero Carbon." Perhaps someone can explain how the carbon that is released in the clearing of hundreds of acres and building of MG will be recaptured, or how the hundreds of cars and trucks brought into the area will improve our local: environment. Aside from those who are involved in the MG development of opportunism, ego or self-interest, I do not see how anyone with a even a minimal concern for ecology can be anything but shocked by the idea of a development of this scope. It is sad to see the vocabulary of the environmental movement used in such a way.
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