In 1999, the Town of Scarborough began a new planning process to work toward future needs of the town.
The process started with the establishment of a Growth & Services Committee, whose purpose was to examine trends of growth in Scarborough, the impact of this growth on municipal services, and to develop strategies pertaining to future growth.
Utilizing the services of an outside consultant, the committee distributed a town-wide survey to residents as a means of gathering baseline data.
The six-page survey contained questions related to growth, the environment and open space, land use policy, and other areas of interest. Of the 6,545 surveys mailed, there were 2,349 responses received, a success rate of 36 percent. The survey results showed the majority opinion supported limiting residential growth and protecting the environment and open space, while also encouraging business growth in directed areas.
One of the many policy decisions that resulted from this committee work was the adoption of our Growth Management Ordinance in February 2001. Its main purpose was to establish a number of new dwellings allowed to be developed each year without significantly impacting the schools and municipal services. The designated 135 growth permits number was derived from a three-year average of high growth in the late 1990s when most dwellings were single family and duplex homes. Each type accounted for one growth permit upon approval and total annual allocations were capped at 135.
Over time, housing trends changed as the demand for condos, one-bedroom units, and multi-family homes became more commonplace. The Growth Ordinance was changed from time to time to accommodate these trends while continuing to maintain the 135 annual growth permit threshold. Instead, “one permit per dwelling” became two dwellings for one permit if it was a one-bedroom, and a two-bedroom under 1,200 square feet was given 75 percent of a permit. The rationale was that these types of homes demanded less services than a single-family home. As large scale developments (like the Beacon on Haigis Parkway) began cropping up, a reserve pool of permits was set aside to accommodate these growth areas, and a separate affordable housing pool was established. Over time, the ordinance, with all its amendments, became difficult to understand and a challenge to determine how many new dwellings had been built in a given year.
Now, 20 years later, the Town Council has directed the Ordinance Committee to review the Growth Management Ordinance and bring forward any suggested recommendations for change to the full council. Go to the Town Website ordinance-committee to view the Feb. 18 meeting which discusses suggestions for change. The Town Council will have a workshop to further discuss these and additional changes, scheduled for March 14. The public is encouraged to attend and offer further suggestions and/or comments regarding the pace of growth in Scarborough.
In closing, here is a question pulled from the 1999 survey on the pace of growth that was responsible for our GMO first established 20 years ago this month:
Question: Over the past 10 years, in your opinion, has the rate of residential growth in Scarborough been: (a) Much too slow (b) Somewhat too slow (c) About right (d) Somewhat too fast (e) Much too fast?
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
