I read an article today entitled "Banned in Boston" on cnn.money.com. It was about a waterborne sightseeing company that is having trouble getting the permits to do business in Boston.
It reminded me of the recent debate at Zanesville City Council over rezoning the former Y property, which would have allowed an existing Zanesville business to relocate to there and expand and improve a now mostly vacant property that happens to sit in a highly visible location.
Very unfortunate, in my humble personal opinion. It sends the wrong message to expanding businesses, as did the hassle Hannon Electric received when they wanted to add on at their property in Putnam.
I am not saying that development should happen at all costs - obviously it should not. But we have to give businesses the right climate in which to grow...or they simply will not.
Fortunately there are many, many other examples of times this community has gone to bat for businesses and helped them locate here and/or grow here. The list is long.
Undoubtedly there will always be disagreements between those that support business growth and those trying to preserve something else positive about an area. Its universal and not unique to our community. So how do we balance the two important interests? I am not sure, but we had better find a way. Common sense - applied case by case - has to prevail, but we had better never lose sight of the need for a positive business climate. We had better have darn good reasons to not come down on the side of local businesses when we consider such issues.
As Plato said, "What is honored in a country will be cultivated there." And what is not, will not be. Which message do we want to send?
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