Editor:
Development proposals for the Southlands have been intensely debated in our community for over 30 years and all the detailed pros/cons, costs/benefits and technical studies need not be recited here yet again.
During this extended period of time, the community we all care about, live in and raise our families in has watched local schools and small businesses close, our largely stagnant local population base continue to gracefully age, and more affordable housing options for young families, retiring seniors, or perhaps even my two young daughters if they are fortunate, go largely unmet.
As with most important multi-stakeholder decisions, particularly where the stakes are considered very high, polarization sets in and extreme, frequently shorter-term view positions emerge. The relative merits of each stakeholder's position is completely overlooked or even outright attacked.
The status quo becomes the only option for a number of quite valid reasons, like anticipated increases in commute times and the fact, on paper anyways, the Southlands use as 100 per cent agriculture is greater than only 80 per cent as agriculture (current soil quality and irrigation gaps aside).
I did not support the Century Group's original proposal for the Southlands, viewing it as unbalanced for all stakeholders - both current and future. I do, however, strongly support Century's current proposal, appreciating its forward-looking design and far greater balance, thoughtful community engagement design approach and unique vision for actually creating a more productive community-based agriculture model than we certainly have here today.
There currently really only appears to be one, very modestly vocal, stakeholder seeking to find a balanced, long-term, local community solution - Century Group.
In recent memory, the last time our community was so unwilling to find any form of compromised solution to a multi-stakeholder issue, we actually ended up with even larger above ground power lines running directly through our backyards and across the local high school grounds.
One can only hope if the Southlands proposal is not successful now, the next time it does go forward, perhaps in 20 years with a less community-minded local developer, a pro-development council and a little less very vocal opposition, it's not 80 per cent high density condo and only 20 per cent agriculture.
Doug Lewis
