"New Urbanism" and Bedford's Master Plan - Know the Players

People move to Bedford because it offers single-family homes in a quiet, rural setting, on woodsy, child-safe streets. But some think that needs to change. Here come the "New Urbanists".

It started with an invitation from Town Planner Mark Connors to take a survey which stated Bedford was “partnering with regional planners and non-profit organizations” (unelected, unaccountable entities) to help update the Master Plan.

This was the result of a program from the World Health Organization and AARP.

Most do not know the American Planning Association is also a private trade organization, not a government entity, from whom our town’s planners already take much direction.

As for the Southern NH Regional Planning Commission, it is a 100% ad hoc committee made up of appointees from various towns. Whenever asked for accountability, SNHRPC claims it has no authority, yet seems to have an awful lot of influence. It certainly gets a lot of taxpayer funding, and money from private foundations. Sources include federal DOT, EPA, and HUD. The SNHRPC is very active in promoting “New Urbanism” — the push to turn every town into a city.

Then there's the NH Rail Transit Authority, a commission created out of thin air by (then) Gov Lynch in 2007. Yet another layer of unaccountable government, and the list goes on...

Bedford has now hired "planning consultants" from Tennessee to oversee reworking its 2010 Master Plan. TPUDC-LLC are self-described "New Urbanists" — a phrase that actually appears in the current plan.

Is your head spinning yet? Are you wondering, other than the little-known survey, when and where voters come into play?

The town created a "Think Tank" committee, put in charge of outreach to all the voters of Bedford. Barely 100 citizens sat in the BC-TV meeting room and participated in the 2010 update. How many do you suppose have taken this current survey?

Layers of unelected, unaccountable private groups, and participation of just 100 citizens out of 22,000 — does this indicate that there might be something wrong with the whole process?

Why haven’t property rights groups such as American Policy Center, Sustainable Freedom Labs, or even any of NH's statewide taxpayer advocacy groups been invited? We were pleased at the turnout for the September 13 kickoff event with TPUDC-LLC, but residents can’t stop talking about some of the absurdities they heard during the presentation.

Do unelected "regional" groups, and other unaccountable private organizations and consultants, have more say than you, the taxpayer? Do you think it's the town's obligation to provide housing if you work here, or entertainment so you won't have to drive elsewhere? If you have your own large private yard, do you really need a community center? Directed social activities? Do we really need apartments centered around a train or bus station? If I recall, we used to have a movie theater in the mall and it went under.

Plan on attending TPUDC-LLC’s November 1-5 input sessions. More details will come on times and locations.

Meanwhile, read what the "New Urbanists" want to do with your property, because they think by living the way you are, you are "Bankrupting municipal budgets, creating epidemics of preventable diseases, and helping to cause climate change." Congress for the New Urbanism