SIDEWALKS AND ZONING July 29, 00

Why should people suffer because of the ideas of the elites (those who presume themselves superior in wisdom or virtue)? What right do elites have to put their repressive agendas into law? 1 suspect only the same “rights” assumed by kings in centuries past. Decisions, so made, imposed by force to override decisions made by individuals for themselves is a collectivist view and borders on socialism. Last time I checked, we were a democratic republic, and a proud and free one at that.

These self-appointed, pronounce their agenda for the “health, safety and general welfare.” They promote their agenda under the rule of “environmentalism.” It has become the norm that permission be required to perform the most normal human or commercial act. The excessively broad rules give the elites flexibility to in vent requirements as they go, and the thousands of tiny rules give them the power to pull out new, expensive requirements, to holdup a project, for instance. Selective enforcement is a source of considerable controversy, and at this juncture, a major bone of. contention that needs to be addressed.

Sidewalks are required according to Grand Island code, and all new-builds, residential or commercial, require sidewalks. Why then do we have no sidewalks in front of the two new buildings on Grand Island Blvd.? A member of the Town Board said we don’t have enough pedestrian traffic on that side of the road. What a crock! Just down the Street, the Peppermill Restaurant was forced to build 30 foot of sidewalk on Bedell. The Island Fun Center and the other businesses right across the Street from these new buildings, spent thousands of dollars on sidewalks. Apparently. sidewalks were drawn into these plans and labeled “future.” The sidewalks were left out on these two projects because “no one knows what the state is going to do to the road in “future construction.” This is a lame excuse, and is a perfect example of “selective enforcement.” Who made this brilliant decision? Sidewalks are needed more there than anywhere with all the foot traffic from the Bedell Road apartments. They can be built off of the “Right of Way” If the state rips them up, they’ll have to build new ones, as required in the “Grand Island Code Book.” The Town is still in the process of spending thousands of dollars updating the current Zoning and Code book. It will be interesting to see the finished product. How many more of our rights will be infringed upon? If zoning can’t be equally enforced for everyone, then we need to get rid of it.. Next I’m going to write about “nuisance laws” the abandoned vehicle ordinance.

Zoning is not inevitable, it can be stopped!

Rus Thompson