Stop the Demolitions!Potsdam for Smart Growth 2009
What's Going On?Potsdam is facing a major challenge to its residential character and community atmosphere by the proposed Canton-Potsdam Hospital zoning changes around Waverly and Cottage Streets.This is a tragedy in the works - all for the sake of making more parking spaces available without spending a lot of money to do it. Most other details of the hospital zoning plan seem to be just a dog-and-pony show to provide respectable cover. In addition, village leaders have repeatedly pointed to the village Master Plan as authorizing their efforts - but the zoning change actually violates many principles in the plan and they don't say the plan was never voted on by the public at large, only by the small village board itself. At this point - early 2009 -- only concerted action by concerned citizens - such as demanding that changes be put to a public referendum instead of a simple vote by the village board - can hope to prevent the damage threatened by the proposals. The plan by Potsdam village officials to allow Canton-Potsdam Hospital to demolish houses around its current campus, and intensify its commercial presence in one of Potsdam's oldest and most attractive residential neighborhoods, is unwise and unsustainable for many reasons.Notably, the zoning changes contradict several stated principles of the Potsdam Master Plan - such as to "expand housing", work at "preserving and maintaining" built and natural assets, and to make Potsdam "increasingly attractive" to residents. What's the Big Problem?Under the pretext of economic necessity, village officials -- with a few exceptions - have pre-ordained the approval of the hospital's "on-the-cheap" development plans. Many top village officials have already stated publicly they will support the demolition (aka zoning) plans -- before final proposals have been created, before legally-mandated hearings held, and before environmental impact statements drafted.The dismal truth is that the village and hospital together are planning to wreck a neighborhood because the hospital needs more parking -- and finds it cheaper to buy up (and demolish) middle-class and lower-middle-class homes than to erect a proper parking garage. Meanwhile the village leaders have orchestrated a fraudulent process of planning and deliberation under the guise of creating a "hospital zone" to give Canton-Potsdam Hospital the legal cover it needs to pave over its neighboring properties, and convert residential to commercial use. The re-zoning plan clearly flies in the face of the new national principles of healthcare reinvention, sustainable development, and protecting the vulnerable in the population, ignores much better alternatives, and promises to destroy one of Potsdam's premier, walkable, family-oriented neighborhoods - if not the only one.What is the Better Option?A long-term, sustainable, visionary plan would call for Canton-Potsdam Hospital to partner with Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton to create a health sciences campus at the centrally located former Clarkson campus - right across from the village government complex. Obvious sources of funding would include the State Dormitory Authority, Power Authority, and upstate economic development agencies. Adding to its appeal - and offering regional economic significance, that former Clarkson campus sits at the intersections of Route 56, Route 11, and Route 11 B, and offers a perfect future hub for a regional Light Rail between Potsdam, Massena, and Canton. The two projects would jump-start the sustainable development of Northern New York.A short-term alternative would be for the hospital to simply invest in a parking garage and make far better use of its current approximately 8-acre site for health-care infrastructure -- instead parking lots. The hospital's current site is simply not designed for commercial use. It has no road connection to central traffic arteries -- except through residential neighborhoods via Leroy Street, Grove Street, and the even smaller streets like Cottage Street. What Can We Do?If you are concerned about the proposed zoning changes you need to speak up now, because it appears the village and hospital want to stream-roller the process through. Irrevocable decisions could happen immediately, because the hospital has already started buying up houses where it wants to start construction. Many citizen objections arose at the planning board meeting in January and were reported on.At very least the decision on hospital parking and siting should be put off for one year to allow the community to ponder the issues and see what opportunities come from the federal healthcare and infrastructure initiatives. Given the prejudgment of the plan by village officials, unknown conflicts of interest that may exist, and the significance to the community, a referendum that forces all the issues into the open is the only democratic and sensible way to address this issue.Planning Board and Village Board meeting dates are posted online at www.vi.potsdam.ny.usThe village clerk to inquire about meetings at 265-7480. You can call the Mayor's Office at the same number. Tell them what you think, leave a message if the mayor is not present. And send a letter to the Daily Courier-Observer at 5 Beal Street, Potsdam NY 13676. REVISED 2/10/09 Contact Richard Brummel, Email rb.1006@yahoo.com