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The federal government shouldn’t influence Bedford’s zoning laws

To the Editor;

Does Bedford, a mostly rural town, really need or want bike paths? Same goes for “overlay zoning” to create mixed use “smart-growth” neighborhoods, as well as “workforce housing.” What workforce are we serving?

Grants for these projects seem to come from New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority but where do they get the money? We suspect it’s HUD.

From the Union Leader article: “Bedford adopts master plan for bicycle-pedestrian paths”

“The town was awarded a $30,000 Community Planning Grant from the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority to complete the Pedestrian and Bicycle Connectivity Master Plan, which follows through on several recommendations of the 2010 Master Plan.

“At the hearing, the consultants, planner Jeff Taylor, landscape architect Karen Fitzgerald, and planner Grace Wu of the Resource Systems Group, outlined the project results and recommendations for zoning changes.”

Perhaps now we have the reason why town councilors want to remove your right to vote on zoning!

The same thing is going on in Rindge and Bow: “Your town is missing a center,” they said. Rindge’s grant came from NHHFA, and NHHFA got it from HUD. It requires them to change zoning. It is important to point out that Rindge belongs to SWRPC, but the selectmen said no to GSF. Rindge’s proposed plan contains sidewalks and bike paths, too.

Are we going to let the federal government come in and change our zoning laws so they can urbanize our rural New Hampshire towns?

Watch the video: http://trms.bedfordtv.com/CablecastVOD/4497-1-1-RiverCorridorSmartGrowthDistrict.wmv

JANE AITKEN

Bedford