How We Grow Into the Future

By Doug Fenichel, Plan and Zoning Candidate

I’m running as a Democrat for Orange’s Town Plan & Zoning Commission.

P&Z may not sound exciting, but decisions made by the commissioners you elect will determine how Orange looks and feels moving into the future. For instance, Orange’s population has grown older. The median price of homes sold in town is $607,000, says Realtor.com. To stay “Orange strong,” we’ll need to attract young families, and they’ll need homes they can afford. We also need affordable homes for current residents when they’re ready to downsize. Do we really want to tell our seniors they have to stay in their large home or leave town?

New businesses in our commercial and industrial areas must fit our vision of Orange and provide an economic base that helps with local taxes to fund improvements to schools, parks and other infrastructure. P&Z will have a role in bringing new business to town and revitalizing commercial areas.

This has been a farming town, and I’m proud of that history. As costs increase and uncertainty puts pressure on farmers, we know tools that will help farmers continue to be successful in Orange. I’m qualified and ready to work for you to tackle these challenges. I worked for a national homebuilder.

In addition to building beautiful, award-winning homes, I worked on and directed teams that rescued historical areas, restored or established parks near homes, renovated blocks of cities and underused suburban parcels and constructed literally hundreds of “affordable” homes that were indistinguishable from the market rate houses next door. We even built a new habitat for night herons.

I am asking for your vote so I can bring my experience to Orange’s Plan & Zoning Commission. You can vote between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2 or in person on Nov. 4. I can help Orange continue to be a wonderful place to live while we grow into the future.

Doug Fenichel

Orange Town Plan & Zoning Commission Candidate

This letter to the editor originally appeared in the Milford-Orange Times, Sept 4 page 6.