Maser said there is only one variable that matters in any developmental planning: water. “Water has no value in the human mind until it’s confined,” said Maser. “Every community relies on the same bioregion. In the end, the most critical aspect of any planning is water. Yet, most communities think of getting rid of it, instead of storing it.”

There is no more freshwater on earth today, than there was 2,000 years ago, when the population was three percent of its current size. Nearly half a billion people around the world in 31 countries - mostly in the Middle East and Africa - currently face water shortages. By 2025 the number will increase fivefold to 2.8 billion people - 35 percent of the world’s projected total population of eight billion people.

Maser, a former ecologist and zoologist, has spent the last decade working to combine scientific knowledge with social values in designing sustainable communities. The Oregon resident was asked to not only speak at the conference, but to provide feedback from presentations given earlier in the day by various community leaders.

Among those attending the community workshop were, Sen. Gary Simpson, R-Milford, Sussex County Councilman George Cole, Sussex County Council President Lynn Rogers, Lewes Deputy Mayor Jim Ford, Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D- Rehoboth Beach and Center for Inland Bays Executive Director Bruce Richards.
Although not a part of the program, Simpson was asked to share his thoughts on development with the audience. “The topic is timely and it is a time of change,” said Simpson. “We still haven’t caught up to many issues facing us. Growth is going to happen and we need to think more than its effect on infrastructure. Our healthcare system and schools are also affected.”

Coping with growth
As part of the conference, four communities presented challenges and triumphs associated with the pressure of development. Greater Lewes Foundation Chairman Dennis Forney described how Lewes’ community rallied around a piece of property along the Lewes/Rehoboth Canal slated for commercial development. The nonprofit organization worked in tandem with Lewes to purchase the waterfront parcel for a city park. Community participation proved key in obtaining the parcel.

Gene Dvornick, operations manager for Cannery Village in Milton, explained how the planned 147-acre development in the heart of Milton enhances the town instead of overwhelming it. “Used to be the only way you ended up in Milton was if you were lost,” said Dvornick. “Today, it’s seen as an extension of the coast.” When completed, the commercial/residential complex will increase the number of homes in Milton by 40 percent.

“The project is working because of commitment, from both the developer and the town and combines cooperation with creativity,” said Dvornick. “Many towns are set in their zoning and refuse to budge. We were able to work with the town and the result is new jobs, increased revenue and new housing. We are proof it is possible for existing and new to exist positively.”

Rehoboth Beach Mayor Sam Cooper outlined the challenges facing the popular resort destination. “We’re a pretty well built-out community and don’t have tracts of land for development,” said Cooper. “Part of creating a community is getting people together. The city has worked to accomplish this with its library, fire station, post office, school, senior center, VFW and American Legion building.” The five-term mayor said Rehoboth must constantly be aware of conditions outside its municipality. “People say, ‘We need to get into Rehoboth faster,’ but can the city handle the traffic? New developments are not creating that sense of community. If someone wants to have a parade they’re certainly not going to have it on Route 1.”

Ocean View Town Manager Kathy Roth presented the daunting task facing the once small municipality. “Our operating budget has tripled in the last three years from $380,000 to $1.2 million,” said Roth. “In 1993 the average home in Ocean View sold for $88,000. Today the asking price is $340,000. We now have our first strip mall. Our concern is how to preserve our small town atmosphere. We’re in the beginning stages of development. Everything will escalate as these large development projects are completed in the upcoming years.”

Children must be
part of solution
According to Maser, no city or town can grow without including children into the equation. In fact, Maser said past experience’s in assisting other municipalities form visions, indicates children often know what is best for the future. “A vision is a strong statement of where you want to go. Kids have this because they think with their heart, not their head. I didn’t hear that vision in any of the presentations here. I heard about projects but no vision.”

Maser provided an example of how children define the future. “While assisting one town with creating a vision of where it wanted to go, 50 adults and two high school students each wrote a vision statement,” Maser explained. “When it was all over, the adults had picked apart all 50 of their statements. A vision statement by one of the students survived. Today, it still stands as the community's vision.”

Maser compared the region's traffic with that of a bird colony. “First, there is the resident community, which is a group of birds inhabiting the area to which they have a strong sense of fidelity all year,” said Maser. “In order to stay throughout the year, year after year, they must be able to meet all of their ongoing requirements for food, shelter, water and space.”

“Then there are the summer visitors, who overwinter in the southern latitudes and fly north to rear their young. They arrive in time to build their nests, and in so doing must fit in with the yearlong residents without competing severely for food, shelter, water, or space, especially space for nesting. If competition were too severe, the resident community would decline and perhaps perish through over exploitation of the habitat by summer visitors, which have no lasting commitment to a particular habitat.”

“You also have the migrants, which come through in spring and autumn on their way to and from their summer nesting grounds and winter feeding grounds. They pause just long enough to rest and replenish their dwindling reserves of body fat by using local resources of food, water, shelter and space to which they have only a passing fidelity necessary to sustain them on their long journey.”

“The core of the issue is the carrying capacity of the habitat for the yearlong resident community. If the resources of food, water, shelter and space are sufficient to accommodate the yearlong resident community as well as the seasonal visitors and migrants, then all is well. If not, then each bird in addition to the yearlong residents in effect causes the area of land and its resources to shrink per resident bird. This, in turn, stimulates competition, which under circumstances of plenty would not exist. If, however, such competition causes the habitat to be overused and decline in quality, the ones who suffer the most are the yearlong residents for whom the habitat is their sole means of livelihood.”

It’s that lack of futuristic planning which will ultimately be the downfall of many communities. “What appears to be a good economic decision today, may be an ecological disaster eight years from now,” said Maser. “Most people have a limited view. They need to think of right and different, instead of right and wrong. We are often led by people who are piece thinkers instead of those looking at the whole picture. Look inside your community - there’s a wealth of knowledge there.”

Mike Tyler, President of the Citizen’s Coalition, a watchdog group that continually criticizes development decisions by Sussex County Council, asked Maser how citizens can convey these messages to county officials who refuse to listen.

“Have you ever run for an office?” Maser asked.

“No, I’m more effective as an activist,” responded Tyler.

“Do you have any responsibilities,” inquired Maser.

“No,” Tyler responded.

“There’s your answer,” Maser surmised. “It’s your process, and you have to struggle for it to be of any value. But I can tell you this. No system can sustain growth without collapsing. The challenge is to take the best you have and combine it with what’s best for the future.”