Glens Falls' citizens act to protect their neighborhood

In my city, Glens Falls, NY, there was recently a mini-controversy over a housing development project. A developer wanted to build about half a dozen new homes in the center of town. Many residents objected to the fact that the design of the new houses were not in keeping with the traditional architecture of the neighborhood. After a public outcry, the developers modified their plans accordingly; though they made it clear they were doing so under great duress and only out of the goodness of their magnanimous hearts.

In the wake of this controversy, Glens Falls' mayor Robert Regan suggested that the city 'take a hard look' toward establishing design guidelines for new houses in the city, notes the Post-Star newspaper.

While this problem hasn't come up much before during Glens Falls' recent mini-boom in construction, that's largely because most development has been in previously undeveloped areas on the south side of town near Haviland's Cove on the Hudson River. So cookie cutter homes fit in rather than stood out. But as developers revamp properties in existing neighborhoods and in the city's architecturally rich downtown, this issue is sure to resurface in the future.

But one part of the Post-Star article really caught my attention.

"If you put another step in the process of the approval, you may as well fold up your tent," said John Cifone, owner of Cifone Construction of Glens Falls.

Reading that, you'd be inclined to think that developers are required to cut off their left arm in order to erect a bird feeder.

In fact, provided the use of the land fits with zoning regulations, a builder only needs to receive a building permit before beginning construction.

Assuming that the paper is accurate, this is hardly the sacrifice of a first born child that Mr. Cifone's melodrama implies.

I don't know if government regulations are the answer in this case. I'm a bit hesitant because such an ordinance risks micromanaging every detail of one's home. That risks the vibrant diversity of the urban setting just as much as cookie cutter dwellings.

However, this guy makes a good point:

Sheridan Street resident Michael Shaver said many people are eager to live in neighborhoods with a uniform nostalgic character.

"I think people are interested in Glens Falls and move to Glens Falls because of the character of it," he said.

[Full disclosure: he's a friend of mine]

I think this really gets to the heart of the matter. Glens Falls is a city of neighborhoods. Glens Falls is a city with a soul, with a heart. The city is not perfect, but it has character. It's not Anywhere USA.

It has a wonderful park. It has a fantastic library. It has a nice bike path. It has more trees than just about any city I've ever been to, outside the African rain forest. It even has sidewalks, unlike many towns in the region. When you walk through Glens Falls, there's no doubt that you're in Glens Falls.

If people want to live in Generic Suburbia, that's fine. Generic Suburbia clearly has elements that many people find appealing. Most notably, lots of land and cheap land. If you want a large home with huge fields for your kids to run in, Glens Falls is not the place for you.That's why regional towns like Queensbury, Clifton Park and Wilton have expanded so rapidly in recent years.

Because of the qualities I mentioned above, those towns have seen a huge explosion in retail stores which has led to a huge explosion in sales tax revenues. Because of that, those towns have low or no property taxes. That's certainly nothing to sneeze at.

But Glens Falls can't compete with those towns for big box stores; limited by geography, it simply doesn't have the space. Glens Falls will live or die not by being a generic place, but by being Glens Falls. The city will live or die by its specific character. It will thrive by attracting small businesses that will be an integral part of the community and put down roots.

'Vive la différence,' I say. The Queensburys and Clifton Parks of this region should be an option for those who want a lot of space at a reasonable price, or for those who want low taxes and don't mind having fewer services in exchange.

But the Glens Fallses of this region should ALSO be an option for those who have other desires and expectations. After I graduated from college, I consciously chose to live in a small city where everything was within walking/biking distance; I consciously excluded nearby places where you NEEDED a car to get anywhere. I'm happy that I had a choice that corresponded with my priorities.

Glens Falls will thrive by promoting and improving its excellent quality of life. Fortunately, the city has residents like Mr. Shaver who are willing to become active in preserving that quality of life which is so essential to Glens Falls' social and economic future. Hopefully, developers will see this and decide that respecting the character of neighborhoods is the easiest thing to do. Hopefully, citizen pressure against homogenization will not be necessary the next time.



Note: if you agree with the general thrust of this essay and you live in Glens Falls, you would probably be interested in checking out the Esmond Lyons for Mayor website. His urban vision for Glens Falls is fairly compelling.