Be leery, very leery when Town Planner Sylvia von Aulock is advocating something new and different for Exeter development. When she says it offers "...town officials creative alternatives to planning and zoning regulations to encourage economic development along Portsmouth Avenue corridor" it raises a red flag as it should. Just what are these "creative alternatives?" We know there is a small group of folks who have, in the past, tried through warrant articles to sell creative ideas, at taxpayer expense, to beautify the downtown. Voters overwhelming rejected the warrant articles. Will the form-based code create additional hoops through which developers must jump?
Von Aulock, in answering the concern of existing business owners, said, "...any changes adopted under form-based codes will not impact existing businesses." Really? How about when they decide to expand or renovate and need Board approval? Will they have to then meet these new code requirements?
A lot of very good questions are being asked and there are likely plenty more that will be asked. While von Aulock and Planning Board Chairman Kathy Corson stressed that public input was welcome, we have seen far too often that it has little impact on an official agenda that is being pursued. Businesses along Portsmouth Avenue have good reason to be skeptical of a form-based code based on the manner in which our pertinent boards and committees conduct business.
As a final note, it is likely many feel portions of Portsmouth Avenue could be cleaned up. For example, the derelict A-frame gasoline station should at least be razed. How would form-based code affect future development of that lot? Would it encourage or discourage development?
