“Risky” Columbia plan means more jobs and less crime

Columbia, MD, December 7, 2009:  In a recent Howard County Times article leaders of the Howard County Citizens Association (HCCA) claim that the plan to restore vibrancy and bring increased culture to Columbia is too “risky.”  They go on to call General Growth Properties (GGP) “hard-nosed business people” claiming that they have no loyalty to Columbia and are only out to make a profit.  This statement while partially accurate is also very short sighted.  Yes, GGP is out to make a profit, as is any business that is set up in Columbia or anywhere else in the World.  Being “hard-nosed business people” is how you create a successful company and ensure that your employees still have jobs at the end of the day.  Any business that is operating in Columbia has to be vested and loyal to Columbia, without it there is little chance for success if the business is operating in ways detrimental to the will of the community.  Our country was not built by people who shied away from risk.  Taking risks is how Jim Rouse built Columbia in the first place.  There were detractors claiming that his plan would not work, that people would not want to live in a planned community with village centers.  The plan has worked, but it is time to finish the plan that Jim Rouse envisioned, and that is for a lively thriving town center full of cultural opportunities and amenities geared towards a very diverse population. 

This plan is risky.  Any undertaking of change is risky.  What is even more risky is doing nothing which is what HCCA seems to be advocating for.  Doing nothing means increased crime, lower property values, and a lack of opportunity and amenities for those who choose to still live in Columbia.  As we can see with a few of the village centers in Columbia, a lack of business interest leads to vacant storefronts and a lack of choice for residents living in the surrounding area.  It is not difficult to put one and one together and identify that the locations in Columbia with the highest crime rate are also the locations with vacant storefronts and a village center that is struggling.  HCCA also states in the article that by allowing GGP to develop its property that the value of the property would become more valuable.  This is accurate, but wouldn’t all the surrounding land including the homes in the area also increase in value.  From what has been seen in recent years with declining home values, an increase in property values would be a welcomed change.  Not to mention the boost in local tax revenue so needed to fund our schools and public services.

In order to attract young professionals that want to begin their careers and start a family in Columbia there needs to be a vibrant downtown.  A downtown that attracts people who want to live, work, and play all within a short walking distance.  Currently Columbia does not offer this.  Columbia is reliant on the car.  If you currently live in downtown Columbia where do you buy your milk?  Where do you go to buy a paper clip?  Is there a store within walking distance that can fill these needs?  The answer is no.  With a new downtown Columbia, a newly redeveloped Symphony Woods by the Columbia Association, and an atmosphere of excitement and optimism for our future; Columbia will once again live up to Jim Rouse’s vision of a being a special place to live and work. 

In our current economy turning our backs on job creation is the wrong decision.  I question the motives of those who wish to stand in the way of job creation and increased public transportation options.   Now is the right time and the plan currently being proposed is a good plan to take Columbia into the future as a thriving community full of life and opportunity.  There will be amendments to the plan guaranteeing amenities and public services, but let’s not throw out the entire plan just because it was proposed by a business and not a government agency.  HCCA seems to be obstructing Columbia’s future prosperity just because they do not want to see change take place and because they are fearful of businesses making profits.  This is a sad position to take, one that lacks vision and a hope for a better future.  Luckily for us the leaders that built this country and our community learned from the past and understood that taking risks is what is needed in order to build a place we can all be proud of.  It is easy to do nothing, but that is exactly what you will have at the end of the day.  Risk takers have gone to the moon, flown across the ocean, and built Columbia from a plot of land between Baltimore and Washington.  Let us not sit around and longingly reflect on the past, but rather work together to build a brighter future for generations to enjoy.      

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