Posted 3/15/01 Putting the cart before the horse? To the editor: It was scarcely a year ago when North Branch citizens flooded city hall with concerns about residential growth. When opposition to a large project by Fernwood developers was vocalized, Fernwood representative Steve Vanden Heuvel publicly stated that the schools were not overcrowded. He further stated that the growth was ìgood for the schools,î that ìgrowth will increase the schoolís funding.î It now appears that the ìfundingî will come in the form of several referendums, i.e. several tax increases. Iím not accusing Fernwood of deliberately misleading the citizens of North Branch, itís possible that they failed to comprehend basic demographics. Incidentally, the city council only partially approved the project, but only because Fernwoodís plan blatantly violated the cityís comprehensive plan. Growth is becoming huge concern in many communities, but no community in Minnesota or Wisconsin is exceeding North Branchís rate of growth. What most other communities are doing is taking steps to enact ìsmart growth,î What North Branch has done is create a ìcluster development committeeî which is composed primarily of local builders and developers (including the above mentioned developer). These committee members will recommend how to develop our city. Admittedly, this is their area of expertise, but should developers and builders be allowed to create their own developerís paradise? Where will they place their loyalties? At least in the recent past it has not been to the wishes of local residents. We need adequate schools, however, before approving any referendum, we must enact a realistic growth policy. Cleaning up behind uncontrolled grow is tantamount to giving the builders and developers a key to the city. Greg Schewe North Branch ©Post Review