[RP TownTalk] The Past is Prologue

[johnferg27 at aol.com]

After reading the e-mail from Judy Glaes on her recollection of the Town in 
years past, I felt the members of TownTalk might be interested in the dramatic 
change that took place in the east end of the Town (beginning in the 1960s) 
and the attempt to invade mid-Town (Taylor Road) that was stopped by action of 
the residents.  

If today's residents believe the proposed project for Dumm's Corner inside 
the Town's remaining historic core is a good idea then it will go forward.  If, 
however, they believe it will result in a domino effect that will change the 
Town forever,  they would need to do as we did those decades ago -- stand up 
and be counted.

Below is the history --

We moved to the Town in October 1955.  In the next couple of years, I noticed 
signs on trees along Riverdale Road as I drove east.  I had no idea what they 
meant and, after some time went by, I finally stopped the car and got a phone 
number.  When I made my call (to Park and Planning) asking what the signs 
meant, the man said "that is to announce a hearing to rezone those properties for 
apartment development."  I immediately said:  "we don't want to lose those 
houses."  He asnwered, "Too late, lady, your town fathers have sold you down the 
river -- it's a done deal -- nothing you can do now."  That was a wake up 
call I never forgot.

Within a year or two, one of those signs showed up on Taylor Road as you 
drive towards Edmonston (right across from the Lynch property where the tennis 
court is located).  I called immediately and got all of the who, what, where and 
when, learning that the land was up for re-zoning for apartment development.   
 We talked to residents in the area and they had no idea what was going on 
and did not want to see this multi-density development take place.  With the 
help of a wonderful man (now dead) we got people to the hearing.   

This gentlman, an attorney who lived a few blocks away, presented our 
petition signed by many residents in the surrounding area, and had some of us testify 
-- the (then) County Commissioners took it under "advisement" and we learned 
soon thereafter that we had won!!  Within a week the information came to light 
that two other properties (one behind and one next door) were holding offers 
to purchase and intended to sell at a high price as soon as the one we were 
opposed to was approved -- their money to come was contingent on that property 
being rezoned.

What this all means, of course, is that if we had sat back and let a "spot" 
zoning get through it would not have just affected that one parcel -- the 
adjoining properties would have fallen like dominoes.  Because we stood up to be 
counted, Taylor Road continues to be a quiet residential street.

Sometimes history can help you see the future when the fact situation is 
similar --
                                                                  
                                                                              
 Ann Ferguson
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