We all know when marketers describe products as "new and improved" they are often guilty of gross
exaggeration, selling the same old stuff in shiny new packaging. Fortunately, that's not the case with the
revised Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2008 that Sen. Bennett and Rep. Matheson
recently unveiled.
The original land bill died in a Senate subcommittee in late 2006. It was developed under the direction of
the three elected commissioners of Washington County and was primarily the work of the commissioners
and a small group of participants.
The resulting bill protected significant tracts of public land, but counterbalancing growth aspects of the
bill - in particular the sale of 25,000 acres of public land to developers and the acquisition of utility
corridors and roadways through other protected public lands - generated significant local protest. The
commissioners eventually agreed to sponsor a grass-roots planning process known as Vision Dixie.
When the Vision Dixie process concluded in late 2007, it was obvious our representatives had previously
misread how we wanted them to balance growth and conservation. Several thousand citizens participated
in exercises that produced a vision of Washington County that protected scenic public lands and managed
growth in a much more restrained manner than would have been possible had the land bill passed. Instead
of auctioning off 25,000 acres of public land to developers, the vast majority of participants - an
astounding 85 percent - favored scenarios that limited disposal of public lands to less than 5,000 acres.
Likewise, utility corridors and highways through protected and scenic lands were not part of the desired
future for the county.
From my reading of the new legislation, Bennett and Matheson deserve tremendous credit for taking a
step back and trying their best to produce a bill that reflects the will of the people. Gone are the utility
corridors and highways through protected and scenic habitats.
Public land disposal has been reduced from 25,000 acres to 9,052 acres, with only 4,052 acres certain to
happen and an additional 5,000 acres contingent upon an approval process consistent with Vision Dixie
and BLM guidelines.
It's a great example of how representative government should work at the national level, but indications
from closer to home are not nearly as encouraging. Consider the tepid support and the tone of comments
made by two county commissioners as quoted in recent newspaper articles. Both indicated that there is
too much land protected and that more should be sold for development.
It's mind-boggling to me that a local representative of the people who claims to support Vision Dixie
principles would disparage a bill that embodies those principles.
Likewise for Commissioner Gardner, who apparently doesn't understand that the citizens of Washington
County have clearly communicated that most existing public land in the county should be protected and
preserved for the good of all, not privatized for the financial gain of a few.
It's good to know Bennett and Matheson listen to citizens.
But let's keep a close eye on our county commissioners. They have yet to prove they're truly on board
with Vision Dixie.
