County Commissioner's Office

County Talk
By
Lamar Paris - Commissioner 

Part III Development, con’t

Q. You used to be a developer, so can’t we assume that you are “in bed” with the developers and will not keep them under control?
A. The simple answer is, absolutely not.  I think if you ask any developer in this county, they will not agree with that statement at all.  Most think there are already way too many regulations.  Hopefully, most will agree that I am fair and reasonable, but firm, and so is the staff.  The experience I have had as a developer in the past has been one of the most important tools allowing me to be an effective commissioner.   So much of my job is related to development issues or roads.  Without considerable experience and understanding in this area, it is impossible to comprehend all of the issues, much less be able to understand when you are receiving a line of “bull” from someone related to their road or a developer giving you a sob story about the cost of complying with regulations.

Q. Is there anything that can be done about developers who come in and strip all the trees off an area?  Can’t something be done to control them?
A. First, those of you who live on property with a view may very well not have purchased the property if someone had not cut enough trees off the property so you could see the view.  Now, we need to determine how much clearing is necessary for achieving a view and yet maintain a “wooded” look.   Developers typically do what is necessary to sell their lots.  If people would not purchase lots without trees, then no one would cut trees.  However, I agree that developers are going to have to take a very serious look at their forestry practices.  

Q. Do we have a right to complain about trees being cut?
A. Absolutely, I think you do.  But remember when complaining; look at what you have done on your property.  I hear complaints about people cutting trees on the mountain when the person complaining has cut all the trees around their house in the valley, so they could have a nice lawn and better view of the mountains or lake. So sometimes cutting trees works both ways. 

Q. How important are trees?
A. Trees are very important. They are also a renewable resource.  If all of us would plant new trees when we had to cut down older trees, we would leave our world in much better condition for our children and grand children.

Trees are needed on lake property, valley and stream property and certainly mountain property.  There are also people who are so afraid of a tree falling on their house, that they cut every tree in falling distance.  There are no easy answers and that is why no other mountain county has a better handle on these problems than we do.  All of us are searching for our own solutions.  I happen to think that working with the developers to help solve these problems is preferable to adopting a bunch of restrictive ordinances that would take an army of people just to try to enforce.

We must all work together to keep this one of the most special and beautiful counties in the country.  My pledge to you is that we in government will work very hard to find reasonable solutions to these problems related to growth, short of closing the gate, which in reality is impossible anyway. 

Q. Will you continue to add more and more regulations?
A. The only new regulations we will enact will be those necessary because the public is not or will not agree to voluntarily work with the county.  My office feels the pulse of the county related to growth pressures and issues.  When we ask the developers to voluntary work with us on certain issues, for the most part they have been very willing to do so.  I believe in less government, not more.  The biggest problem our development community will have is in new laws and rules passed by the state and federal government that the counties are being required to enforce or lose our authority to inspect (issuing authority).  If that ever happens, then the state comes in and takes over all permitting and enforcement operations and that is not a very pretty picture for anyone.

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