local action
Local politicians in Bedford are working on the town's latest 10-year comprehensive plan, and since we have an open town meeting that means everyone! Or at least everyone who was willing to come out at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. Like us! Except we were like 20 minutes late. Oh well, they still let us in.
concerned citizens
That's a picture of our breakout session, which covered transportation issues. As it turns out, everyone interested in transportation planning is pretty anti-car, which is kind of cool. It also makes sense: the only complaint that car-exclusive folks have is that there's too much traffic, and the only way to deal with that (in our little town at least) is to make it harder for any individual to drive here. Rational actors obviously recognize that and are thus committed to the status quo.
Among the crazy hippies at the meeting, though, the general consensus was we need to do a lot to make the town more walkable and bikeable (and better connected to public transportation). I'm sure the political process will water down some of our more fervent desires—car-free days? passenger travel on mail trucks? neither particularly likely to become reality—but the strength of desire for something other than more parking spaces was pretty heartening.
The other sessions were pretty cool too. Folks looking at land use reported wanting more scope for agriculture, and a kitchen incubator (which I didn't even know was a thing) for the commercial district right around the corner from us—totally awesome. There was also a lot of talk about increasing density in a few areas while keeping open space, and about preserving the small-town feel we've got going on while keeping things moving forwards in other ways; pretty good all around. Who knew we lived in such a progressive town?! Go Bedford.
he's a pro with the paperwork
Oh, and Harvey and Zion were perfect angel children throughout the whole three-hour meeting. The New Jerusalem is imminent.