Master Plan Comments from Dr. Jan Pemberton
August/29/2009 09:29
To: Members of the Planning Commission
Re: Master Plan for the City of Grosse Pointe Shores
I will be unable to attend the Sept. 1st meeting at 8:00 a.m. I understand that I may make written "requests" and/or state my concerns this way.
First, I am concerned when I see plans in this Master Plan for a community/activities/recreation center on a "mid-term" time frame. The community center failed by a large vote when the populace went to the polls on this issue several years ago. Now, what has changed? Our property values are lower than they were then, we did not have the problem of vacant and foreclosed homes that we have now. We did not have the looming pension and bond debt that we are facing today. When I read in the Master Plan that 100 people are in favor of this structure, my response is that we have about 2, 776 residents and of that number the majority are against it. The reasons for not building such a structure are many. We do not need, nor can we afford another bond to fund such a building. We do not need the expense of maintaining such a structure. We have a small population and we have many facilities available to us should we need a "building" for an event. There is the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club to which many residents claim membership. We have the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, that is available for activities. There are an abundance of halls and even churches that rent their facilities out as well. We certainly cannot afford added personnel to manage and direct such a facility. For those who believe that because "other" Grosse Pointes have a community center, we need one, I say, NOT! Other Grosse Pointes have businesses, other Grosse Pointes have much larger populations and, thus, a larger tax base. To put this structure in our "plan" is irresponsible. According to the Master Plan, the number one reason people leave Grosse Pointe Shores is TAXES. So, let's keep them down, and not encumber the remaining taxpayers we have in this community with more mills and higher taxes. They are already quickly losing their home equity and don't need any more reasons for home buyers to scratch Grosse Pointe Shores off their list for prospective home purchases. In other words, this is a request to put the community/activities/recreation center on the "no-term" time frame - get it OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN!
Second, there is a "regional water source" listed in the Master Plan. This is on a "short-term" time frame. For those of you with short-term memories, there was much community concern about a 30-year debt that a proposed water tower would incur on the taxpayer. There were over-flowing numbers of concerned residents at Council meetings voicing their disapproval of having such a water storage facility in their front yards, in their backyards, in their parks - be it Osius or Schroeder. The expense of "masking" such a huge structure with bricks and trees is another huge cost - outside of the enormous budget to build such a thing. Include the security fencing and the personnel needed to be trained to operate, maintain and repair a water tank - the costs keep climbing. When would such a structure actually bring a savings? Not for well over 30 years when the bond would be repaid. Again, in an economic climate such as ours, when we're losing residents and facing vacant, foreclosed, rental, abandoned properties in record numbers - WHY would you even consider such an expense for the remaining taxpayers? In fact, Councilman Fred Minturn personally assured me that he would never vote for such a long-term commitment of tax dollars in this economic climate and with the financial difficulties this city is facing. We must face the facts. Those being that Detroit takes care of our sewage and provides our water. If we were to build a water tank at great expense to the taxpayer now, the water cost savings would not occur until the bond would be paid off because the increase in taxes would far offset any savings in a resident's water bill. If we purchase our water from Grosse Pointe Farms, there is a big chance that Detroit would raise our sewage costs - to make up for their loss of revenue, thereby negating any savings in water cost, not to mention the tax increase of still having to build a water tank. And if taxes increase in this city, there will be fewer and fewer prospective buyers for our homes and our properties. That is a fact. That is a fact stated in the Master Plan. Higher taxes force residents to sell, higher taxes eliminate prospective home buyers. Homeowners have a choice on how much water they may use, they don't have a choice on how much taxes they may pay. Again, this is a request to put the "regional water source" on a "no-term" time frame - get it OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN!
I fully understand that a Master Plan is a guide for the future of a city. I would suggest that this Master Plan be very conservative as to what future projects are being planned. For, the very existence of this city and its ability to preserve and protect the beauty and the services that we now have will be, in itself, a difficult and real challenge for its leaders and for its residents in the uncertain economic future we now face.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Janice Pemberton