Letters

Remember as you peruse these thoughts that one sign of maturity is the ability to hold entirely contradictory thoughts in your mind without losing your sanity. That would be a quiet day in this writer’s mind.

On to The Express Sessions luncheon in Hampton Bays, which opened with the question: What is your vision for the town 20 years from now? What followed was two hours of the same voices squabbling over the same issues that I have been listening to for five years now, the gas station being an exception.

I did say at an Alliance meeting that the historic concepts plan was the best to date. Meant it. Change comes. Meant that. Glad to see younger people out. Meant that.

Here’s the contradiction I see: There is not one single person on any issue on any side, even the Shinnecock Nation, dealing with reality. All believe in the continuing merit and benefits of an economy rooted in consumption, inexpensive food and gas. More of all will be bought and sold next year. Tourism, second homes and attending to the desires of the very wealthy will continue ad infinitum.

Let me name drop: Katrina. Ida. Irma. Sandy. Milton. Florence. Michael. Maria. Took a drive over to the beach today — there’s maybe 40 feet of beach at Ponquogue. The winter storms are yet to come.

Go on down to Asheville and ask what came of developing another thriving arts and entertainment district. We will retreat from the shores or bankrupt ourselves rebuilding to sustain our outdated economic ideas.

We should rebuild our local farming communities rather than build houses or shops. We could begin with a new zone: urban agriculture. Take those 10 acres in town and have our very own organic farm using regenerative agriculture. If a small, ragtag group can raise over 1,000 pounds of vegetables on less than an acre, what could professionals do? As things progress, add a farm store and a nice farm-to-table restaurant. Harvest festivals in the park?

Vision doesn’t mean more of the same.

Here’s another vision more in line with that consumption-based thinking: Make the new development car-free, meaning residents may not have a car. This is being done in several places. Residents are given transportation vouchers. Here, they could use the very affordable new on-demand bus system, trains, Uber or Lyft. Remember, they can walk to get all their basic necessities and entertainment. This would at least mitigate new traffic woes. Car expenses easily run $800 a month. Without this expense more people would have more money for housing.

So, anyone out there with an actual vision write to the press and the town council. We are behaving like lemmings.

Amy Paradise

Hampton Bays