Government Waste
Developers get no respect: Part 3: Nor do they give any!
By Lee Chowaniec
Jun 3, 2006, 21:04

Residents do understand the value of economic development and its impact on their quality of life. At the same time, residents expect developers, businesses and local government agencies to act responsibly when spending taxpayer monies for commercial and residential development that adversely impact their and environment best interests.

Too often developers purchase land in our communities and arrogantly declare that they can do anything they want with the land. Their attorneys act equally insolent when they tell us that they can get the rezones and variances they need from the municipalities to bring their project into code. Openly and with contempt, they also claim they can get the necessary Clean Water permits from the regulatory agencies to destroy and/or fill in wetlands for their self-serving financial gains.

Far too often developers are successful in their endeavors. And when they do buy a swampland, the parcel of land that the regulatory agencies would not dare grant permits to build on are “donated” to the towns so that the tax liability is negated. The town looks favorably on these slippery-slope transactions, and the so-called generous contributor is given favorable press.

There’s a new game being played in the town of Lancaster. The town will no longer accept “wet” stormwater ponds from developers. Well, the developers don’t want to pay to maintain them, so they are setting up subdivision Associations whereby the homeowners will pay for their maintenance. Slick, eh?

Municipal governments and their homeowners need development for the resulting property and sales tax revenues. Labeled NIMBY’s, cave dwellers and environmentalists alike understand that and have no qualms when responsible development and smart growth principals are utilized. However, we also believe developers – as well as business entities and town officials - disrespect us when we challenge building projects and voice opinions on matters that adversely impact our quality of life and the well being of the environment by labeling us as being self-serving, ill informed individuals and/or citizen groups.

Developers do pay for the hook-ups to our sanitary and stormwater systems and pay for the paving of roads within their subdivisions. However, they contribute nothing to the sewer systems or town roads when repairs and/or improvements are necessitated because of the municipality’s growth. The burden falls on the taxpayer. The Seneca Nation wants the City of Buffalo to spend several million dollars on infrastructure improvements to support their operation. Corporate welfare de ja vue!

Show some consideration to the taxpayers, you know the guys who ultimately foot the bills for all the incentives developer’s and business types need and receive to lower project financial risks. The New York State guy who pays 53 percent more in combined state and local taxes than individuals in any other state. Local property taxes across the state rose 42 percent from 2000 to 2005, more than three times the rate of inflation. This year’s state budget rose by 7.8 percent and increased the already $50 debt near 20 percent.

In Part 1 of this series, Amherst activist Colleen Bogdan declared she had a “productive” talk with some of the developers at the meeting. She told them, “We need each other.” She also chastised them for hiring attorneys who go before the municipal boards and disparage homeowners who are speaking out to protect their homes, their quality of life and the environment.

Bogdan alluded to the need for active and positive town involvement to foster responsible development. Government and regulatory agencies have oft times been found wanting in acting for resident and environment best interests.

In a town of Lancaster project, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requested the town condition a Transit Road Dunkin Donuts project that they not use the driveway that is currently there to access onto Transit Road. This section of the commercial corridor is overrun with curb cuts that access the busy road and their use is becoming more dangerous regarding public safety. Dunkin Donuts balked at the condition, said they would drop the project unless they could use the curb cut access and the DOT said “okay”.

The Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and Department of Conservation (DEC) have been too compliant in issuing stormwater permits to developers, thereby allowing them to fill in federal and state wetlands, build roads through them and allow them to disturb the water table and cause downstream flooding.

Dissenters are not anti development. They are anti irresponsible development and corporate welfare. Stop biting the hand that feeds you. What’s wrong with Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan asking to review an IDA system that has been found lacking in control and substantiating documentation?

It therefore follows that we have to ask, “Do you serve cheese with that whine?”






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