NOT IN MY BACK YARD (NIMBY)
It is a disrespectful acronym used by many.
It is a reason for politicians to dismiss input.
Municipal council members across Canada have to weigh the long-term needs or interests of their community against the short-term demands of those who are opposing things. The long-term needs sometimes means raising taxes to build roads, fire halls or recreation facilities. It can also mean long-term planning for land development, housing diversity or serving those with special needs.
The art of being an effective elected official at the local level is to determine what the “greatest public good is for the greatest percentage of people in a community.” What often gets forgotten is that the saying should also have the words added: “… for the next 50 years…”
Some cases in point are:
Most of us enjoy the walking or the bike trails in our community. Many residents do not want those same walking trails to go behind their homes because of privacy. Other residents in the same neighborhood cherish the opportunity to have these trails close by. Some oppose the trails, some approve of the trails.
Another example might be that all of us appreciate great reception on our smartphones while, at the same time, we do not want to have a cell tower near our backyard. We look for the cake and want to eat it too.
Another example is where there is often opposition to new neighborhoods being built in our communities. The cry from many is “we are becoming too big of a community; let’s stay a small town” or “too much sprawl” or “too much traffic.” That is translated as follows: ”Now that I have moved to town, I would like the town to stop growing.” In that same town, the businesses are salivating because more residents means more customers. Politicians have to make choices; short term versus long term.
Across Canada, members of the public fill their county, town and city hall galleries, chanting, yelling, protesting, speaking at length, applauding, jeering and waving signs. Well-meaning elected officials are told to listen to the residents, so many “cave in” to what is in the best interest of the community and listen to the few screamers. They look for today’s support and sacrifice the benefit for the next 50 years. Those politicians not comfortable in their own political skin do not have the stomach to stand up for “what’s right”, and do not wish to proceed with the many important plans that are presented to them. These are pothole politicians, of which there are many.
So, often the NIMBY people are the winners for a day and the community is the loser for the long term. It is that phenomena that has resulted in many towns not growing, towns shrinking and towns disappearing. The leadership that it takes to think 50 years or longer requires something called “foresight literacy,” and unfortunately, there are more elected officials without that literacy than with it. NIMBYism blinds many from developing such literacy.
And that folks, is how it really works.
