Municipalities are in the…

Municipalities are in the position of protecting their unique citizen groups as well as their land use. Removing or re-shaping their rights in favour of the private sector is simply supporting a transient monetary interest. In this time of awareness of climate change and maintenance of our environmental assets, there needs to be an emphasis on protection, not exploitation of our ecosystems. Municipalities are stewards of their land and are required to balance the needs within their constituency. Vertical zoning reflects the complexity of the questions of land use and needs to be left in the hands of those that know that land the best - the local government. Let municipal government be the seat of democracy in this process and entertain applications and appeals for the benefit of all, not simply the benefit of individuals and companies with deep pockets and little regard for issues related to the environment and climate change. When the best argument is to remove red tape, then the question is why is there red tape in the first place. Maybe the red tape protects the local environment and its citizens and in the process may interfere with the accrual of wealth. The argument over "100 mile aggregate" pales in comparison to the argument over the retention of farm land, the quality of water and air, and the reduction of the threat of well being and mental health in situations with too much noise and too little regard for the community.