No, we're not talking about Iraq, but about Laurel's fight to stop further partitioning (a.k.a. subdividing) of lots in Spring Lake Estates. The report from the Marion County hearings officer arrived in the mail today. She denied the Nielsen's application to partition their Oak Drive lot. We're still digesting her findings, but clearly all of Laurel's hard work researching well deepenings and replacements, plus the competent hydrogeology reviews by Malia Kapillis, paid off. The hearings officer cited numerous errors and omissions in the original hydrogeology report prepared by Nick Coffey for the Nielsens, most of which were pointed out by Laurel.
The Nielsens can appeal to the county commissioners, but we've been told that no application to partition that was denied by a hearings officer has ever been reversed by the commissioners. Many thanks to everyone who helped win this battle, especially those neighbors who contributed to the Stop Densification in Spring Lake Estates committee. It's wonderful when a spirited group of people who want to keep a neighborhood livable beat back the forces of over-development.
I know how much time and effort Laurel put into this appeal. I'm proud of her. There were times when she wanted to give up, but didn't. With all the problems in the world, stopping one more house and one more well from being built in an area that can't handle any more density may not seem like much. Yet, if everyone was as concerned about Mother Earth as Laurel is, and the other supporters of this appeal are, the world would be much better off. Though a cliché, its true that the longest journey is made up of many small steps.
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