We have an advantage in Davidson because our planning philosophy has centered on finding a balance between open space and development for decades. We’ve made tree canopy a priority. We’ve insisted that development plans preserve open spaces. We owe that framework to the foresight and resolve of past Town Boards. They knew that the closer our Town moved to build-out, the more pressure we’d face from competing claims on land use.
We’re extremely fortunate that engaged, forward-thinking citizens stepped up back then to launch the Davidson Lands Conservancy (DLC). They created an independent voice for open space and claimed a seat at the table on its behalf. Decades later, the expertise DLC offers our Town is invaluable for protecting the balance our ordinances try to strike between development and open space.
Just as importantly, DLC is helping Davidson raise a new generation of citizens who understand the broader value of open, natural spaces and the contribution green space makes to the quality of life we enjoy. DLC events, summer camps, and volunteer opportunities help land conservation come alive as a relevant issue.
My DLC Board service helped shape my understanding of the issue and informed the choices I made later as a planning board member and as Town Commissioner. Finding balance between the built environment and green space is a task that changes with the possibilities and constraints in every plan seeking approval. What doesn’t change is that the land needs a voice at the development table.
(This post is excerpted from my responses to a series of candidate questions posed by Davidson’s online local news resource: News of Davidson. The full article appeared on that site on Friday, August 29, 2025 and can be reached here.)
