Letters 1-8-14

As a board member of nonprofits, Planning Commissioner, and active citizen, I’ve seen first hand that as a community we often don’t live up to our stated progressive values.

Urban agriculture advocates faced it when pushing for relaxed requirements and restrictions for people who need to grow food or raise animals for sustenance, or to supplement their below-poverty-line household incomes. The NIMBYs didn’t “like the looks” of the fencing/pens/coops and didn’t “want to see that.” They fought for large setbacks, effectively banning urban agriculture for anyone without a big backyard to hide it in.

Density advocates are faced with NIMBYism when rezones or development proposals are floated. Any increase in density is met with intense opposition. Even trying to add tiny accessory dwelling units can cause an uproar. Density brings diversity – of incomes, races, ages, etc. That can make people who are used to things being a certain way uncomfortable.

Environmental ideals and urban design best practices are also too often neglected. Take the Trillium development. Council voted to turn a natural habitat abutting watershed, that happens to be outside of our transit system, into a car-dependant suburban housing development. This is not progressive politics or sustainable design in action, it’s more of the failed suburban experiment of the last 80 or so years that got us where we are.

The problem is systemic, and can’t be solved with a letter. We have to show up and continuously ensure our values are acted upon. Sustained pressure is the only way to create that kind of cultural change. To politicians: in every decision, ask yourself whether you’re doing the right thing or the easy thing. The easy thing is to follow the nattering nabobs of NIMBYism. The right thing is to honor our environment, people, and future.

We have to start being honest with each other and ourselves. Times change, demographics change, mistakes have been made and we can do better. It’s a way of being – a praxis – that shapes every decision and action that we take as a community. I challenge myself, and you, to do better.

– Rob Richards