Navigating by Jack Sparrow's Compass

As one of my posters gloated, the results are in and a narrow (120 votes) majority of Gray citizens voted to endorse the creation of Area 8 commercial district to accommodate a new Hannaford shopping complex.

While the voter turnout of 2300 was an encouraging display of civic participation, the results yielded some disturbing implications. Not that the nays lost (which I find to be unfortunate) but that the voter margin for the yeas was so small. A land use decision of this magnitude should have solicited a clear mandate: 65% or better, not a mere 120 votes.

What this election highlighted was the painful reality that Gray is still a divided community. As a town, we have no communal sense as to what kind of town we are and how we want to develop in the future. We could blame our collective dysfunction on the Council, who have cultivated the fine art of lousy salesmanship. Witness the number of citizen-led referendums in the past two years seeking to overturn Council decisions. Contrary to the conspiratorial theories, these referendums are spawned from all points of the political landscape and from the feeling of disenfranchisement that arises from a common perception that Council acts rashly and without forethought. Council needs to measure success not in the speed of its decisions but in the effectiveness of its public consensus-building.

Council may be a convenient target, but the citizens aren’t off the hook either. It appears that the good people of Gray are navigating by Captain Jack Sparrow’s compass. Rather than pointing north, the needle of this compass points in the direction of that thing your heart desires most. Like Wicked Jack, Gray residents are indecisive as to what kind of Town they want to live in. Indecision causes the compass needle to vacillate wildly, leading us on an irrational and tortuous course.

One moment we pledge to preserve the “rural character” of Gray (Gray Comprehensive Plan, 2003 ), but then we encourage sprawl , strip protective measures from our subdivision ordinances, and vilify our planning board. We talk about the sanctity of our existing residential neighborhoods, but then rezone them to commercial districts so we don’t have to drive an additional 15 minutes to get double coupons on Tide. We ache over the physical and economic denigration of our Village Center, but we site new commercial development far away from the Village Center and fail to provide the financial support to continue downtown revitalization. We all complain about traffic congestion, but we appaud traffic control strategies that will require us to install as many traffic lights as serve the North Windham strip.

Imagine what the future will bring. Where Hannaford goes, so goes Shaws ( and banks, and Supercuts, and Burger King, and etc). Since our existing residential neighborhoods are no longer sacrosanct, where will the new Shaws plaza be sited? How about Birchwood and Egypt Road?Great capture of the lake people, Raymond, and the commuters. Or how about Yarmouth Road where Mike Liberty wanted to build the new community? Lots of space for expansion, major traffic artery, close to the Village. Then there is always Lawrence Road or Dutton Hill Road- many new subdivisions there, and immediate if not deadly access to all major arteries. Coley Hill Road. Weymouth Road, Beaver Brook Road, the possibilities are endless.

Unlike our neighbors New Gloucester, Raymond, North Yarmouth, Cumberland we have no idea what kind of community we want to be when we grow up.

Unless we as a community make a solid decision on this issue, it will be made for us. And it will be irreversible.

Hello Beastie.