An article in the Macon County News raises valid concerns about the way governments take public comment. In the real world, if somebody wants to learn about something, they might enroll in a four-year or six-year program. Maybe they’ll take a ten-week course. If government wants to learn something, they’ll grant you three minutes. Although equal treatment is generally a good thing, it is not wise to put the three-minute studied opinion of somebody who has researched a matter for forty years on the same level as that of a flake engaging in pub-talk. Regardless, everybody gets to state their piece to live people acting like zombies because the smooth flow of meetings takes precedence over intelligent dialogue.
People in Macon County are complaining there is no give-and-take on topics pertaining to the impending steep slopes ordinance. Technical explanations, to be persuasive, require time and not sound bites. Furthermore, the planning board will not let people who have already taken three minutes at one of their meetings on the subject speak at another meeting.
This is reminiscent of the time I heard Heath Shuler’s office was taking comment on the proposed health insurance reform bill. I went to his office, and was asked, “Yea or nay?” I said that didn’t advance the dialogue, and I wanted to share some thoughts. I was given my options again, and I tried to rephrase my wish to have an aide hear or read why I thought the Congressman was about to make some serious mistakes. That led to a heavy coming out into the hall to de-escalate me. (Through no effort of mine, Shuler ended up voting against the bill.)
Some people in Macon County think people who choose to build on risky foundations need to be held personally responsible for damages their choice inflicts on other residents in the event of a catastrophe. That makes more sense than burdening everybody with the cost of contracting for geotechnical surveys and licensed grading. Representative Phillip Haire thinks planning penalties imposed by a steep slope ordinance will be a boon to communities as they raise property values. Resident Paul Higdon considered the probability of a house sliding down a mountain in Western North Carolina to be on a par with that of getting hit in the head by a falling star on one’s front porch.
“That’s lame!” you cry. Intelligent dialogue should involve an analysis of soil types and engineering and historical issues with available technologies for laying foundations on hillsides. Developers’ advocates should also have a chance to explain how much each proposal for the ordinance will raise costs and if or how much compliance will push sales prices out of the market. Government should study the impact of best practices employed by similar communities. I agree, but I stutter and stammer, and I am a very slow reader, so my time is up.
