Local educators share concerns, ideas about NCLB

Frontiersman Editorial Board

On May 11, the Palmer City Council will discuss proposed Palmer Ordinance 606. The ordinance seeks to establish regulations and requirements for large retail businesses to meet before conducting business in Palmer.

No doubt the Valley's anti-zoning contingent will scream bloody murder over some of the requirements spelled out in the current draft. Among the requirements is a stipulation that a large retailer landscape at least 15 percent of its total lot area. The landscaping would be designed to serve the multiple purposes of beautification, noise mitigation and the elimination of light pollution. Other language requires large retailers to minimize visibility of the building, and to also construct buildings that are not unsightly.

In the past, such talk has resulted in so-called pro-growthers warning that businesses will be scared off, and that we'll all suffer if we don't allow big box stores to exercise complete freedom in the building and operation of their businesses. Balderdash.

Growth is indeed a healthy part of a community's survival. But for that growth to be beneficial over the long haul, it must be accomplished according to the terms of the community. As the Valley continues to grow, new types of businesses will become viable here. They will not become viable because we want them; their viability will be based upon the population's ability to economically support them. If you wish there was a Sam's Club here, just wait. When there are enough people here to support one without damaging business in Anchorage, we'll get one.

They'll come here not as a favor to us, but because there's profit to be had. It's true that having such businesses can provide the benefit of convenience. It's also true that such businesses can change the character of a community. The truth is, we don't have to encourage businesses to come here. When it makes economic sense, they'll come. There was no Fred Meyer in Palmer five years ago. That's not because Palmer didn't want one, it's because Palmer's population couldn't support one.

If we establish the ground rules for those businesses now, we all win. The businesses will make their profit, and we'll enjoy the convenience of large-scale consumerism right here in our backyard. The best part of all is that we won't have to live in an industrial park. Now that's growth we can live with. Who could complain about that?