To the editor:

On Thursday’s front page, several planning commissioners complain that the planning process has become “too political.” They cite the City Commission’s recent decision not to rubber-stamp a developer’s plans for a project in the Lake Estates area. There was no rubber stamp because those plans did not conform to either Horizon 2020 or Transportation 2025. However, one of the planning commissioners accused the City Commission of “just playing friends” with existing neighbors.

This accusation is both false and ironic.

As perhaps the most vocal of the Lake Estates neighbors, I can state categorically that I have neither social nor business friendships with any city commissioner. Rather, when this project was presented at two Planning Commission meetings, the facial expressions, body language and sympathetic comments demonstrated that there were existing chummy relationships between some commissioners and the developer’s representative and that several planning commissioners had already sided with the developer before hearing a word from local residents. The City Commission review, by contrast, was marked by respectful inquiry of both sides and thoughtful consideration and balancing of all varying viewpoints.

A balanced planning process — including commissioners who favor sensible planning consistent with established long-range plans — is desirable and prudent. We should not, as some planning commissioners suggest, stack the Planning Commission with “architects, engineers, attorneys and other professionals who have worked with developers,” and thus have a vested interest in pleasing developers. Instead, let’s support efforts for planned growth and development through processes that give residents a voice that is as respected as that of developers.

Francois Henriquez,

Lawrence