Letter to the editor: Uphold the nature of our community

Mon, 09/16/2013 - 12:45pm

Our family lives just down the road from the site of the proposed substance-dependence rehabilitation center, a commercial enterprise. An amendment to the zoning laws is required to allow the operation of this facility. While we endorse the concept that all ordinances should be subject to review, we also reserve the right to plead our case that the zoning rule in question should remain as it is. Ours is a residential neighborhood, and that is why our family settled here; thus, we oppose the introduction of a business into our little area. Joining us in this opinion, along with a number of our nearby neighbors, are Camden residents who, though they reside in other districts, wish to preserve the overall character of our town. 

We respect the views expressed by citizens who admire the goals of the rehabilitation center and who anticipate the creation of jobs. However, we encourage proponents of the Fox Hill development to employ common sense and common courtesy before leveling the charge of "not in my backyard" syndrome against those of us who object to a zoning change. Please think it through. Homes represent both a monetary and an emotional investment, and homeowners have every right to try to protect the environment in which they have chosen to live. Granted, there are situations in which "the greater good" is at stake, but we do not consider that to be the case in this instance, given that the proposed business is not a charitable organization and that the potential jobs would still materialize if the facility were located elsewhere in our region. We and the other Camden residents who support the current zoning regulations are not standing in the way of a philanthropic venture or a one-shot chance to boost the local economy, as has been implied by the proposed company's campaign and some letters published by Midcoast residents. We are standing together to uphold the nature of our community. 

 

Amy and Dan Smereck live in Camden.