Letters: Practical concerns with Hamilton Square project

I would like to make a few comments regarding our trustees’ stance that, beyond certain legal issues, Hamilton Square development is a private property and therefore not of their concern.

Economic libertarianism regarding private property is clearly the political stance du jour. But it is also no surprise that concerned members of this community desire somebody to take stewardship of the interests of the village regarding the sensible, intelligent planning of this large project. It is counterproductive to label us as insensitive NIMBYs, protecting our own interests at the expense of those in need. Responding to our practical concerns with moral judgments distracts from the very real problems that we hope to resolve before Hamilton Square has made any irreversible progress.

Smart growth goes beyond a plan presented by a developer who is only concerned with what goes on inside their property lines. INHS is not interested in addressing issues that will affect the village as a whole, or the specificity of needs expressed by local residents. Such a development is shielded by the status of private ownership and therefore immune to culpability for its indisputable impact on the community.

First, it is important to reiterate the fact that affordable housing is something that Trumansburg wants. However, a survey conducted by the village (The State of Trumansburg Housing) shows that the demand for single-family homes and senior housing far outweighs interest in rental properties. People are interested in investing in property ownership, something which INHS does not prioritize because their statistics likely reflect the needs of the county, rather than our village. Enacting Tompkins County-initiated sprawl puts Ithaca’s urban conflicts (i.e. booming downtown development which services tourists and the universities, creating jobs while displacing workers – thus leading to housing shortages) at the center of our rural village.

Absorbing this overflow at the scale which INHS proposes endangers features that define this community, and moreover threatens the balance of ecosystems and infrastructures which are already strained by our small population. While water retention ponds will protect the houses in Hamilton Square, they do not protect the surrounding houses from the flooding they have experienced during previous development near this site. If this is seen as a “NIMBY”concern, one might also ask about the overloaded stormwater and sewage system which is currently having detrimental impact on the lake and other natural waterways.

The new single entrance will maximize traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue, displacing the flourishing pedestrian activity that residents cherish. This is not only a problem for foot and bicycle safety, the traffic study shows a favorable fraction of driving patterns within the village but ignores the more pressing concern of heavy commuter traffic at dangerous intersections like Rabbit Run and Route 96. It seems insensible to pursue an unbalanced correlation between minimal local employment opportunities and such a large housing increase, especially as INHS will do nothing to increase the infrequent TCAT service in order to absorb commuter traffic.

The project necessitates development of intersections, sidewalks, maintenance services, sewage systems, stormwater runoffs, public transportation and private water retention systems, among others. Yet INHS continues to fiddle with the layout of their plan without decreasing its size or answering to the shared responsibility of imposing such an impact on Trumansburg.

Smart development is that which aims to understand systems and social bodies and see how the enduring success of a development can be secured through cooperative efforts and community engagement. Although they appear to listen to input during presentations, INHS has demonstrated no effort to understand the village beyond a (now abandoned) plan to mimic the aesthetics of the neighborhood houses.

While those in favor of the Hamilton Square project seem confident that the board will ensure that the development is complicit with existing zoning and planning ordinances, this project is of unprecedented size in the village and must be viewed with a broader understanding of issues such as impact on the wetlands, new commuter traffic patterns and taxation.

There are many other locations nearby where this development could find a home. Unless it is reduced in size, and public infrastructure is updated, it is shortsighted and irresponsible to place this project in the heart of a village like Trumansburg. What goes on in this private property is inseparable from the values and function of the community and needs to be accounted for by the board, otherwise everyone loses. Sustainable development is not merely a set of environmentally friendly building codes, it is an informed cooperative effort to ensure the well-being of others without dividing a small population and failing to recognize long-term impacts on our shared environment.

Sigrid Pauen
Trumansburg