By William Kohler
COMMENTARY
In a swift demonstration of democracy in action, volunteers needed only 14 days to gather 881 petition signatures that give Vermilionites the right by referendum to counteract the City Council’s approval of the Sunnyside Planned Unit Development.
Unless the City Council’s decision is counteracted, the developer can, without restraint, build a dense residential and commercial development on 300 acres of Vermilion countryside that has, since the 1950s, been reserved for homes on at least one acre of land.
Vermilionites were forced to deploy a referendum because their representatives in city government, and the developer, failed to deliver a widely acceptable development plan and to gain trust that their financial and lifestyle interests are being considered.
As expressed by many citizens, those interests include a solid demonstration that net financial implications to Vermilion will be positive instead of negative, that Vermilion’s country character will be preserved, and that wildlife and wetlands will be minimally disrupted.
Instead, the developer delivered a nightmarish plan that evokes the worst, most dense developments already established in Lorain and Elyria – only to be met by outrage and, now, a referendum.
We need to ask: Is development by referendum healthy for Vermilion; or, when suddenly changing historical zoning that defines the character of Vermilion, should our elected officials work harder to craft a palatable plan that is better in synch with citizens’ wishes?
Obviously, a more palatable plan would have sparked less outrage, and therefore would have been less divisive and more governmentally efficient.
Mayor Forthofer has advised me that he supports the referendum, saying “I support the people’s right to petition their government.” Good.
He also believes the development plan may become more acceptable as it goes through another phase of Planning Commission review. That, too, would be good. But an improved, more acceptable plan will not happen without the pressure of the referendum forcing the developer to improve their plan or suffer defeat at the polls.
For this reason, it’s critical that citizens continue to make their demands heard, and it’s imperative that our elected officials and the developer listen to those demands and adjust accordingly. –Will Kohler
(Below is the Mayor’s full statement on this point.)
From Mayor Forthofer: “The developer’s plan will naturally become more defined as it progresses. As the developer prepares for presentation of a new plan for our public Planning Commission, incorporating the PUD, many details will need to be addressed . They include traffic, wetlands, eagles, and a variety of requirement by the State and possibly Federal agencies. It is likely that these new details about the project may answer some of the residents’ concerns.”
