Growing Pains (Manchester, Londonderry, Auburn: new home, to buy, schools)

[Dreamweaver]

I moved into Auburn a couple of years ago. We have no young children. All our children just visit now. My husband and I choose Auburn for its rural community. We wanted a quite and rural place to live with our horses. I was born in Londonderry and have always wanted to move back.

I have been reading a lot in the papers about the future of Auburn and how it will remain a rural community. And the Master Plan that was adopted.

Last night I attended a Planning Board meeting with a developer who wants to build 16+ houses on a rural small road, Calef Road. He has 55 areas that he wants to develop and in doing so he wants variance and zoning changes.

My thought is why do we have all these plans for the future of Auburn and the way everyone says they want it to stay rural when a developer can come in and get variance and zoning changes to fit whatever they want to do.

I oppose the type of development that this developer would like to build. I say that the planning board should not encourage variances for wetlands and zoning changes. I say if they want to develop then do so but follow the rules that have already been established.

[weareiscool]

Don't like the growth around Manchester, such as the growth in Auburn, move somewhere else. You can't stop growth. Maybe you shouldn't have moved to a town next to a city of over 100,000 people! GET OVER IT!

[Dreamweaver]

I'm not trying to stop the growth, I am trying to get the developers to play by the rules already established. You seem to have taken a pretty negative approach. And when the time comes that I will not be able to have my horses I will sell and move! But I moved here to an already established home that had a barn for my horses. I didn't come in and try to change the zoning or ask for variances. I came in and played by the rules that were already established.

[Laura]

So often I have seen developers come into an area,claiming they are doing some grand thing. They basically take the money and run. We have strict codes on developing here, but the City went and hired a bunch of folks out of Calif(thinking that their credentials actually meant something)and now they are bowing to the developers.(money talks to some people,unfortunately) Our protection was utilizing the Corps. of Engineers to protect the wetlands - a tool most are unaware of. Drive them out!Those developers are tooting growth, when in fact they just are fattening their wallets. New England was doing just fine until they allowed those developers in. Pass whatever you have to in order to maintain the pristine areas- unless you want to look like Manchester,Boston,etc. There are some things in life NOT worth selling- and most people don't appreciate it's true value until it is gone. There is such a thing as controlled growth; there is such a thing as doing things in a sensible manner. The biggest problem going on out in our rural areas are these developers who come up to the door with a fat check;then they build cheap quality places,sell them for exorbiant prices- and they are gone. The people who live there are left holding the bag and every place has been suffering as a result. Which is exactly why these conservation easement programs has been so attractive- to preserve what is worth preserving. One of the biggest problems is that the people flocking to these developments are bringing their problems with them that they are trying to escape from. Then the area is,in a short time, just as bad as where they ran away from! If these developers have their way, everywhere in the country will look like California-complete with strip-malls. It is high time we stopped them- it is past time we concentrate on developing things that matter- like breathable air, health-promoting foods, meaningful work and BEAUTY. Mother Nature knows what she's doing- and it is time to give some respect back for all the bounty laid at our feet. Contrary to popular myth, growth has not been increasing at the rate it did in the 50's-people don't have time for raising families- they are too busy working 2 or more jobs to sustain themselves. Communities that want to preserve what they have have got to take a stand- make it very difficult for developers to move in- If we are taking care of ourselves, by being self-employed in trades that we all need, then we don't need their promotion, we don't need their paper-pushing jobs. And we don't need their con jobs. You hang in there, and fight to keep the land free of shoddily-built instant 'homes'. Tell them to go crap up some other place- like Boston or Manchester(oh,that's right,they already did that,huh!)Maybe they will have to find real work.....

[Dreamweaver]

Thank you for your support. we had our town meeting on Saturday and the town voted to keep the Conservation fund to buy land. The town also voted against the use of wetlands to meet miinium requirements for a Cluster development, which was a win for us. But now the developers are not giving up, at the last meeting they made the comment that now they will grid the whole town. So on to the next step to hopefully stop that.

[nhmtnman]

Hey Laura,
What Ivy League think tank did you come out of???? Development is inevittble in our society. Especially in the 93 corrider where people just like you are trying to escape form the M******* lifestyle (please note: they still commute there to work and support their new Live Free or Die lifestyle). The problem with NH is that is does not have any tax revenue, other than property taxes. to support the services you demand. It does not take a PHD to figure out why "development" is catered to in NH.
You move from wherever it was you came from, expect the same services, good roads to drive on to get to your little piece of heaven, and schools with qualified teachers that will give your spawn a basic education to continue on and become nuclear scientists to support you in you golden years. Where does the money come from to support this naive lifestyle????
Look into history. Manchester and surrounding area was a mill town, initially populated with Canadien immagrants that were looking for a better life for themselves and familys. The only way that they could provide this was working in the mills. Look at the old buildings next time you drive down Granite Street! These old buildings, once shoe factories and textile mills, are now professional offices. What drove this miraculous transormation of once abandoned mills when foriegn imports became cheaper than US goods? DEVELOPMENT.
Take a look at what type of businesses occupy these buildings. Granted, growth needs to be managed by intelligent decisions based on impact, but the only way to maintain a preservationist society as you proclaim is to purchase the property slated by development and pay the taxes!!!

[NHMT]

More snob zoning, "I've got mine, keep others out". Can't stand this anti-people, have to keep it the same forever BS....Property rights helped build the wealth of this nation, move to a communist country if you are opposed

[Dreamweaver]

You have totally missed the point. I am not trying to stop development. I just want them to build according to the regulations that are already in place. Instead of asking for variances and building houses on wetlands. So that when they are sold, the cellars flood and there are all kinds of problems and the developer has moved on and left the town with problems and the people who live in the town with higher taxes. When I moved to my new home I played by the rules and I just want developers to do the same...

[NHMT]

Understand, but have you considered that maybe the rules were drafted in such a way in the first place that it makes it unaffordable/impossible to conform?? That is what the planning board/zoning is supposed to do, review and make appropriate adjustments. The world is not frozen, developers (and most are small and from the local towns) spend huge amounts of money up front before they even know if they will have a product to sell. The margins are very thin and getting smaller, so I really think you have a distorted view on their industry and are emotional about the issue. After all, don't you want young folks and families to make a healthy community; they are the ones you are shutting out...

[Dreamweaver]

I am not alone. View my poll, it says it all...