Dear City Council Members, Mayor and Citizens,
This is a letter to state my opposition to the proposal to rezone the old Gilman Paper Mill sitfrom mixed used back to industrial. As a citizen and taxpayer for 24 years, I implore you, toconsider a better future for our valuable 700 acres of deep water frontage on the North River.The site, formerly industrial has been contaminated with chemicals but has been partiallycleaned up by the Land Mar Corporation, Yes, clean up is expensive but why not completethese efforts? Compounding this would be to add more industrial contamination to the present.Making it impossible to be anything but an industrial wasteland. What about federal funding ora joint venture with a reputable investment group to help contribute to the clean up efforts? Ourbeautiful, precious community deserves this consideration. Are we being hoodwinked by a company that is presenting their intentions as almost philanthropic in nature, to help rectify thisland ‘problem’? Why are we so desperate? This property is valuable and we can do better! Weneed a paradigm shift in our thinking. Waterfront property is an asset, not a liability. Yes, thechallenge is the clean up. Let’s focus on a solution to properly reinvent this beautiful property.
Other areas in the south have fought the fight, and have been better off for it. We are nodifferent, with many more advantages. Think Greenville, S.C.. They had to uncover a waterfallthat was covered by a state bridge! Instead of putting an industrial wasteland on the site, theycreated a park. Greenville’s downtown is now a destination for shopping, dining andentertainment. They have national awards for livability and recently ranked “a national modelfor a pedestrian-friendly city center.” This is the future. Citizens now want biking trails andwalkable tree lined cities. Tourists are not attracted by a barge port and neither are their touristdollars. Greenville has focused on creating a vibrant downtown that is authentic, sustainableand most importantly, for the people. With wide sidewalks, outdoor plazas and street sidedining. Downtown Greenville offers a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere that has been compared tothat of a European city. This is what people want. This is the future. Industrial is not the future.
Tourism can bring in millions of dollars worth of tax revenue and employment opportunitieswhile serving its citizens.
It would be a win, win (win). Win for the people, win for our beautiful city and win for our delicate eco system. Let’s fight to make St. Marys all that it can be! We are better than this!
Donna and Phil Hooton
Concerned Citizens