September 5, 2007

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            Wake Forest has grown tremendously in the past 10 years and now has 25,000-plus residents in about 10,500 homes of all types. There are approved subdivisions with water allocations that can add, depending on market conditions and demand, over 6,000 homes in the next few years. Those would add, at 2.6 people per household, 15,600 residents.

            A number of people are apparently calling for a slowdown or a reconsideration of growth while others point to the increase in housing options, retail and restaurant variety, new roads and new parks and greenways.

            What is your opinion of the current and future growth?

            Would you favor the town imposing some kind of limit on residential growth, remembering that the limit would also affect commercial growth?

            If you favor such a limit, what means would you use to impose it?

            How would you balance limiting growth against the town’s need to pay off the cost of the water merger, originally estimated at $19 million including $3 million for a million gallons of water capacity? The water and sewer impact fees on new homes and all the money from water sales go to Raleigh to pay down the debt. Once it is paid off, Wake Forest residents will pay the lower Raleigh rates.

            Also, the increased tax base has allowed the town to invest in the parks, greenways, and other amenities residents say they want. If growth slows, how would you propose to pay for more of those amenities?

Velma Boyd, 54, a physical education teacher

            “In the past I have maintained, and still believe that there must be a balance between residential and commercial growth in our town, now and in the future. Because any decision to limit residential growth will have a direct effect upon commercial growth and the acquisition of amenities that impact the overall quality of life in Wake Forest, those decisions regarding growth must be carefully monitored and managed.

            “If we restrict the current rate of growth, the result will be inadequate funding to provide those services which improve our lifestyles. Limiting growth will impede efforts to respond to citizens’ request for infrastructure improvements and future developments of transportation, greenway, parks and recreation, and business corridor plans. Plans that were designed with citizen input to make and keep Wake Forest a great place to live, work and play. 

            “Because residential and business consumers have learned the necessity of water conservation, and developers and builders are working with the town board and staff to use alternate methods of irrigation and other conservation measures, the average usage has been below the peek of 4.91 million gallons per day. Water allotments have not exceeded the predicted growth rate. Continuing this trend and finding additional creative methods to conserve our water will eliminate the need to limit growth.

            “On the other hand, if growth slows, there would be a need to supplement our investments in parks, greenways, and other amenities with…oh…increased taxes and impact fees.

            “To this end, I believe that it is the spirit of the residents of Wake Forest to understand that we are in the midst of change and with change come growth and with growth comes growing pains.”

Rob Bridges, 39, a residential designer

            “Growth, current and future, does seem to be the hot topic on the lips of the people I speak with. People are concerned about how the growth that is occurring affects them and their quality of living. I have been intensely listening to what I hear from people on this subject, particularly because as a Town Commissioner, my votes have and will at least in part have something to do with it.

            “I strongly believe today, Wake Forest has reached a point of being able to selectively pursue the type of growth that truly offers back to our town what should ultimately result in an investment for our future. Development, both residential and commercial, should be of the type that is thought through, well planned, and considerate of the affects it has on infrastructure, environment, and surrounding residents. Not just another shopping opportunity or neighborhood for the sake of having it. 

            “I don’t believe that imposing a limit of residential or commercial growth is necessary. Still, I do recognize the importance of balancing growth and how it affects our merger with Raleigh. The fact that growth itself helps pay down this debt quicker, however, does not, in my opinion, justify a pattern of growth that is unchecked. I firmly believe that if we can pick and choose the growth opportunities that best fit our town, our merger with Raleigh will be taken care of soon enough.

            “The town board should review each potential new development on an individual basis and what it can or can not offer the people of Wake Forest in the way of quality of life enhancements. We can then determine its viability. What does a new development bring to the table? Do they address transportation needs that result from the development, or assistance in expanding greenways, or other environmental issues etc? If it is of the caliber Wake Forest can be proud to have, then it should be approved. If it does not, it should not be approved. As a town commissioner, I assure you I will be committed in seeing that this is the type of development that occurs in the future.

            “Growth has indeed allowed Wake Forest to do many things. Joyner Park, and the transportation and recreation bonds will help address some areas of need here in town.Leaving electric rates unchanged for over more than a decade, frozen property tax rates for seven years (excluding 3 cents for the fire department), and many more too numerous to mention are just some examples of the benefits of growth that benefit every family. As I continue to talk to people, what I hear come up most often is again the issue of quality of life. Both lifelong residents and those who have only been here for a few years are passionate about this. I realize that what has been done can’t be undone, however what we do from this point forward is just as, if not more important. I do believe we can maintain that quality of life and charm that Wake Forest has to offer and I look forward to being a part of that process.”

David Camacho, 48, a custom homebuilder

            “As a Wake Forest resident for more than 15 years, I am thankful for the many new restaurants, shops, and other businesses that have come to town. Now we don’t have to go to Raleigh for everything like we used to.

            “As for current and future growth, I do not think our recent growth rate is sustainable or desirable long term. Every town needs some growth to be vibrant and financially stable. Our town has seen tremendous growth pressure in recent years (just like most other towns in Wake County) due to national trends such as migration towards jobs, good weather, and lower taxes. We have also seen additional growth pressures locally due to the failed growth moratorium in Cary, the opening of I-540, the new Triangle Town Center mall and construction of the Hwy 98 Bypass. These pressures to grow have been a long time coming and Wake Forest is finally in the right place at the right time.

            “This growth rate cannot and should not continue at its current rate. First of all, the availability of resources to grow is quickly reaching capacity (i.e. land, water, roads, schools, etc.) Secondly, other towns would love to have some of the growth Wake Forest has experienced recently (Youngsville, Rolesville, Franklinton, Creedmoor, etc.) Thirdly, the pace of growth is healthy and sustainable at 4-5 percent per year but difficult or impossible to keep up with needed infrastructure at 10-12 percent long term.

            “Our merger agreement with Raleigh calls for a 4 percent growth rate after 2010 and we need to start transitioning to that lower rate now. I am not in favor of any type of moratorium on growth to achieve the reduction, however. I believe strongly that by setting realistic growth reduction targets, strictly adhering to comprehensive planning principles, and being more selective in the projects we approve, we can achieve our goals.”

Anne Hines, 60, a retired association executive

            “Wake Forest is a wonderful town to live in and raise a family. We do offer a lot of amenities already – parks, greenways, shopping, restaurants, neighborhoods and schools. As previously stated, the town has a responsibility to existing businesses and residents to maintain their quality of life. Even though we have allowed rampant growth over the past ten years, we do need to take a long hard look at where we plan to be in the future. With the building/housing markets slowing, there will come a time when this will impact Wake Forest. In turn, we have to ask, how will the downturn affect current commercial businesses, let alone future commercial businesses? If we continue to approve every request for a new commercial business, are we creating a future of empty buildings? Are we thinking too ‘in-side the box’ rather than looking at the big picture?

            “It has been my understanding that we had a limit of 50 houses per year for new neighborhoods. However, I’m not sure how this applies when some developments have multiple neighborhoods within the development. If each “neighborhood” is restricted to 50 homes per year, then at any given time there could be 200+ houses going up within one development. I’m not sure we have really looked at how this impacts our area, especially our water supply. So, to reply to the question, yes we need to slow housing growth. However, we need to review the current policy to be assured that we are not already allowing growth beyond what the town has a reasonable ability to handle.

            “My position on the water situation with Raleigh has not changed. I did not agree with the merger. I believe we were coerced, to some degree, into the merger and I do not believe that we will ever have lower water bills. Consider the current water shortage; I think there will come a time when Raleigh will need their water resources for their residents. With the area growing at varying rates (23 percent – 29 percent) per year, this is going to continue to be a serious problem for our town. We need to have an on-going quest for alternative sources.

            “I believe in Balanced Growth. You can’t have all housing and commercial. We need to be finding ways to bring in more industry. While we can’t offer certain industries the water they need for manufacturing, we could look for distribution/supply centers to come into the area. We could look for businesses that are service oriented – i.e. call centers for hotels, airlines, insurance companies, etc. This would provide jobs and an additional tax revenue resource. With balanced growth, we would continue to have resources to grow the town’s amenities.”

Chris Kaeberlein, 36, a software architect

            “I agree - Wake Forest has grown at an incredible rate over the past ten years. The fact that so many people choose to move here is a compliment to our town. In my opinion, we need to focus more on the quality of development, though, not only the quantity. We need to ask the question, is this proposed development contributing in a positive way to Wake Forest as a whole?

            “Given the current conditions of the housing market, I think we will see a natural slowdown of the growth in Wake Forest, regardless of anything the town government may or may not do. Whether we like it or not, our future growth will also be dictated by the City of Raleigh, due to the water merger.

            “I am not in favor of placing an arbitrary limit on growth, but instead believe that each proposed development needs to be evaluated on its own merits. That also means that proposed developments should not necessarily be approved immediately, if more time is needed to research or study the impacts of how they will affect surrounding areas or our natural resources. I think if we focus on the quality of development, our results will be much better.  Growth with purpose and responsibility is what I recommend.

            “Is the proposed development planned in a way that is in line with the vision of Wake Forest, especially in a way which will, hopefully, meet the guidelines in the forthcoming community plan? Are infrastructure needs being met and proactively planned, such as roads, water and emergency services? And, development should be encouraged which respects the character, identity and natural resources of Wake Forest. Mass grading should be discouraged. If mature trees need to be removed in order to develop the land, are they being replaced appropriately, and are such replacements being maintained long-term, so we can keep the "forest" in "Wake Forest"? It is of vital importance that we ensure new development is done in a way which will not harm our water supply and its quality. Water is the lifeblood of any community, and we are in danger of outgrowing our available supply of water. 

            “Even with continued growth, I believe that Wake Forest needs to find a way to more quickly build the parks, greenways and amenities desired by the residents. Pursuing the possibility of public/private partnerships may enable faster construction of the parks and greenways.”

John Shoemaker, 30, an information technology consultant

            “The biggest concern that I have about the growth debate in Wake Forest is that it has been framed as an all or nothing proposition. With the national housing market declining, it is uncertain that we will continue to see the level of growth that was projected in the proposed Raleigh water merger. Today we are experiencing the growing pains that inevitably go along with a massive growth spurt. We as a town need to now focus on ensuring that we can in fact meet the current needs of the residents and businesses in Wake Forest. If the only solution to providing for the increased demands on our infrastructure is to increase the tax base and thereby further increase the demands placed on that very infrastructure, then my question is where does it end? 

            “There is no easy answer that will immediately balance the increased financial demands for new and improved infrastructure and future growth that will only intensify that same demand. We will have to put every option on the table and make some very hard choices to prioritize the needs of Wake Forest. There are several things that we can look at now to ease the rapid increase in water use, and we will have to constantly review those options as new technologies and methods become available. Lawn irrigation is the number one culprit in excessive water use.  We as a town will need to examine every option to reduce that burden on our water current water capacity, including, rain water collection systems, waste water re-treatment for irrigation, increased community education and involvement in water conservation.

            “Wake Forest is a beautiful place to live in and for visitors to enjoy, and that is due in large part to the investment in parks and greenways. Increases in tax revenues have fostered that investment, but now we must examine additional means to generate the money to continue that commitment to beautiful natural spaces. We will have to examine ways to increase efficiencies in town operations and projects, public-private partnerships or sponsorships to provide additional funding, and increase the intensity of fundraising efforts for town projects.

            “These are all difficult problems that will require innovative solutions and self examination within the town government to create greater efficiencies. If I am elected to the post of Wake Forest Town Commissioner, I can assure you that I will examine every possible idea in the decision making process and that I will work for sustainable, fiscally responsible town development.”

Peter Thibodeau, 37, an environmental consultant

            What is your opinion of the current and future growth? “Growth is occurring at a nearly unprecedented pace in Wake Forest. We have doubled in population in the last 8 years, and are looking at doubling again in less than that time, potentially, at the current pace of development. It is truly exciting that we are widely considered as a desirable place to live and a target for numerous relocations and people moving out of the City and toward a quieter community and pace of life. While we can expect to see increases in tax revenue from this surge of home building in Wake Forest, we need to look forward to the future and consider the potential negative impacts that may be felt by everyone if we are not careful and more selective in the rate and way we grow. I am opposed to urban-style development plans that have been coming before the Planning Board, disguised in folksy-terms to hide the fact that it is high-density, high-impact housing.

            “With uncontrolled growth, Wake Forest will find itself facing potentially severe problems with water availability and thus the costs we will all bear for police and fire services, water and sewer services, traffic, and truly local and Wake Forest-centered educational opportunities for our children. We have been approving many large new developments in town without pause to reflect on the impact that these new subdivisions will have on overcrowding our schools. Once capacity is reached, we face the very real possibility that our children will be bussed out of town to spread out the crowds. As a result, our children will face longer bus rides, less time available to play and spend with their families, as well as less time for other activities such as worship, sports, and entertainment.

            “It is time for Wake Forest to pause and slow the development approval process. We need to reflect on what we want to become before it’s too late to reach that goal. We are a dynamic community with many rich offerings for our entire population. Continued crowding and dense development will stifle that positive energy that makes Wake Forest a special place to live.”

            Would you favor the town imposing some kind of limit on residential growth, remembering that the limit would also affect commercial growth? “First, we need to recognize that slowing growth does not mean that business in Wake Forest will dry up and go away. Controlled and focused growth, choosing projects that make sense for the future of Wake Forest, and working to shape less positive projects are what we need to do to keep Wake Forest as the town people where people want to move and raise their families.”

            If you favor such a limit, what means would you use to impose it? “Impact fees are a very positive method and if implemented properly are pain-free to the wallets of people paying those fees. Obviously the initial reaction ranges from understanding the need for these fees to unfounded hysteria that this will drive out developers from the community and make housing unaffordable. Impact fees can be very beneficial to the town if done properly.

            “I am currently developing a set of guidelines for a proposed impact fee package that would focus strictly on new development in Wake Forest. Too often, developers come through and build large subdivisions with little regard for the ultimate effect on schools and changes in the town’s character. A modest impact fee will provide financial resources for Wake Forest without adversely affecting the consumer. Use of a fixed percentage of the home purchase creates a sliding scale whereby those with more modest purchases pay less money into the system than those at the top end. In each case, those fees should be negligible. 

            “As an example for residential growth, consider a fee of just half of 1 percent of the cost for a new home. A home buyer spending $100,000 would have only $500 added to their overall sales price – this is typically well within the range of negotiating the final price of a sales purchase with realtors. By comparison, a home buyer spending $800,000 on their new home would pay an impact fee of only $3,200, again, a small fraction of the overall cost and within the range one would use in negotiating the purchase. These small fractions of the sales price will not have a negative effect on neighborhood property values or the ability for developers to build and sell homes. As I continue to work on assembling this proposed set of guidelines, I will keep you informed and provide further explanation of these plans.”

            How would you balance limiting growth against the town’s need to pay off the cost of the water merger, originally estimated at $19 million including $3 million for a million gallons of water capacity? The water and sewer impact fees on new homes and all the money from water sales go to Raleigh to pay down the debt. Once it is paid off, Wake Forest residents will pay the lower Raleigh rates. “Developers need to accept their role in building out the community beyond the site plan development process. I would consider evaluating plans to increase development fees as part of the permitting process, for both commercial and residential growth, to use as a means to provide supplemental funds to pay down the Town’s debt to Raleigh. Growth comes with a cost, both to the citizens already in town as well as to those who want to add responsible developments to the community.

            “This type of plan has been successful elsewhere in the United States and in North Carolina, providing multiple benefits:

1. The ability to pay down debts at a faster rate, resulting in less overall cost as less interest costs are incurred.

2. Provision of funds to use for improving roads, parks, and streetscapes.

3. Smarter growth and better planned developments that are more beneficial to the community will be created as developers make better use of land and our finite resources.

4. As a result of slower and smarter growth, Wake County will be better able to forecast school demands and the need for adding new schools in the Wake Forest area before the crowding occurs.”

            Also, the increased tax base has allowed the town to invest in the parks, greenways, and other amenities residents say they want. If growth slows, how would you propose to pay for more of those amenities? “I would carefully review and consider plans to provide stricter guidelines and requirements for developers to provide more and better land for greenways, not only the buffer areas or relatively undevelopable land. As I said above, increased permitting fees and end-user impact fees will provide a base of funds that may be used to not only pay down debt but also provide a source of money to improve recreational and other amenities across Wake Forest.”