Please come to the Jan. 19 public hearing on SEABA’s application to create an additional heliport for their commerical (heli-)ski tours. The property SEABA wishes to use as a heliport is within an area at 26-mile that is currently being proposed to be rezoned as rural residential. The rezoning application, on file with the borough, is valid and was submitted with petition signatures by a majority of the landowners within the rezone area. Of the landowners who live there, an overwhelming majority signed the petition, as did two owners with property adjacent to SEABA. Citizen-initiated rezoning is one of the most basic rights in a democratic society.
It is not only the right, but the responsibility and duty of the planning and zoning commission to plan what activities and uses are compatible within specific areas of the borough. The area in question has increased substantially in population and has many year-round residents, including a number of families with young children, as well as an assortment of vacation properties used in summer and winter. People in this neighborhood have invested significant dollars into the purchase and development of our properties, we pay taxes to the borough, and we have a legal right to the quiet enjoyment of our properties. As communities grow, responsible municipal planners adjust zoning to protect residents’ rights and property values. So please, come to the Jan. 19 public hearing and encourage our P&Z commission to responsibly decide in the interests of the democratic majority.
Jessica Plachta