In the newly published summer edition of Davidson’s quarterly newsletter, Woods suggests that when it comes to issues back home, the Republican-led Legislature has quit lawmaking and gone to meddling.
“Recent actions in our state (L)egislature hint at the troubling trend of more state government oversight, restricting local government control of local matters,” Woods writes in his “Mayor’s Musings” column in Davidson’s Town Message.
Woods specifically cites bills that would restrict municipal ownership of broadband companies (such as MI-Connection, the communications enterprise owned jointly by Davidson and Mooresville); a measure that would allow state guidelines to supersede local restrictions on the removal of trees near existing billboards; and another bill, Senate Bill 731, that would exempt townhouses and condominiums with fewer than four residences from local design oversight.
“Citizens ought to have a clear voice in deciding the way their community looks,” Woods says. “In fact, our local ordinances regarding trees, green spaces and design (were) implemented following significant public input and comment. Abandoning these initiatives means ignoring the will of our citizens and their vision for our community.”
Because Davidson has less undeveloped land than its neighbors to the north and south, demand is high for homes in existing neighborhoods.
“The economic downturn has affected neighborhoods in Davidson that were still under construction in 2008,” Woods notes. “New developers are purchasing sections of these incomplete subdivisions and proposing different residential building types. We allow and encourage a variety of housing types in every neighborhood, but we need to be able to control the quality of design of these infill units.”
The town’s Design Review Board determines whether any proposed structures with more than one residence meet Davidson’s design guidelines.
“The citizens on this board work hard to be consistent and fair to developers and architects who come before them,” Woods says. “If townhomes and condominiums with four or fewer units are exempted from design review as proposed in Senate Bill 731, it is almost a given that the quality of design and materials will decline. This could drastically change the character of our community.”
Local officials concede that MI-Connection has become Exhibit A in Raleigh for lawmakers looking to limit municipal broadband ownership, but Woods notes that Davidson and Mooresville decided in 2007 to buy the remnants of the old Adelphia Cable system and create MI-Connection — before the economy tanked — and that the towns and the company’s board of directors are taking some aggressive steps to reverse losses.
“We are completing a total reorganization of the MI-Connection initiative, bringing in-housethe marketing and financial planning efforts and reorganizing our board of directors with expert financial and communications industry executives,” Woods says. “Our goal must be to grow MI Connection into financial stability by providing the very best in broadband communication services.”
Whether MI-Connection can grow enough to become profitable depends largely on whether the final broadband legislation, if passed, restricts MI-Connection’s coverage area, as early versions would have. And that, Woods insists, is exactly the point he’s trying to make.
“As the level of government closest to citizens, we in municipal government have a unique connection with those we serve and a unique responsibility,” Woods tells Davidson’s citizenry. “I want to make sure that your voices continue to be heard.”
