'Stewardship' lacking as commissioners boost development

Editor:

There are too many compromises the commissioners are making with the county

codes (re Barry Paschal's Feb. 29 column, "Bending the rules now a trend?").

I have noticed this for several years, having lived in Augusta 19 years off

and on. It seems that stewardship of our land has gone downhill, and it goes

right along with our lack of responsible roadway planning for safety. It is

a fact that landscaped (and median-laden) highways slow people by calming

them. Trees were eliminated along I-20 for safety, but there is no adequate

reason that we have almost eliminated them everywhere else.

I voted for Andy Kingery for County Commission chairman because I knew that

a contractor (Ron Cross) would tend to be less passionate about the

aesthetics and long-term growth of our community. As Paschal noted, there is

"no slowdown in business development." I believe that is because the schools

are good. Also, our law enforcement efficiently patrols traffic and prevents

crime.

But there is one more factor the Commission sometimes forgets: Baby boomers,

thousands of us, will soon decide where we want to retire. Many of us like

recreation parks, roads with sidewalks, lots of trees (filtering dust and

noise), golf courses, nature walks, wild-life areas, big libraries, buses to

town and the mall, restaurants without alcohol and community family events.

Columbia County is strong on some of these, but not all of them, and, thanks

to Paschal's observations, three serious ones were identified: compromising

the county tree ordinance, allowing bigger buildings close to subdivisions

and permitting noisy racing (above 60 decibels). I will remember this the

next time I vote.

Priscilla Bence

Martinez