To The Editor:

Since my parents moved to Suffolk four years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful area of Virginia, but I’m concerned that some of what makes the region special is being squandered through out of control development. I don’t seem to be the only one that shares this concern: At a recent meeting of the Suffolk City Council, a large part of the proceedings were devoted to the subject.

In the short time that I’ve been coming to Suffolk, I’ve been amazed at the almost overnight explosion of development.

What used to be a turnoff on Route 17 that went to a lightly developed agricultural part of town, now feeds hundreds of new homes with traffic that backs up into the travel lanes during rush hour. And would someone please tell me just why you need another shopping center? This is insane.

However, help seems to be on the way – Your city council is poised to do the &uot;right thing.&uot; Through their &uot;leadership in The Coalition of High Growth Communities,&uot; and with their &uot;Blueprint for Smart Growth,&uot; the city council is going to reign in your out of control sprawl. In fact progress is already being made – One member of the council was so bold as to state that there is a link between development and transportation infrastructure. It’s a start.

Here in Vermont we’ve become experts at controlling development, and by tapping our more than thirty years worth of experience, the City of Suffolk might not have to reinvent the wheel. Our Act 250 process reviews every project by a set list of criteria, and when a new development does move forward, it is done with citizen input and in the best interest of the community. The criteria cover environmental issues like air and water quality, wastewater, storm water management, soil erosion, wetlands, and wildlife management, along with sensitivity toward historic sites, prime agricultural soils, transportation, and the capacity of the region to absorb the influx of new residents. It’s not perfect, but it works for us.

The quality of life in Suffolk hangs in the balance. The reason you live there is because it is an exceptional place. Please put the long range interests of generations to come before the instant gratification of greedy developers. Your children and grandchildren will thank you.

Kurt Staudter

Springfield, Vermont