Another Hutchinson Conundrum

Fight over housing development highlights the “Two Hutchinson” problem

I have always said there are two Hutchinsons, and that until we are willing to acknowledge and address it, this town will never be able to live up to its full potential.

This is a good summary of how in one version of Hutchinson, even someone who can afford a $200,000 to $300,000 home isn’t good enough to be welcomed as a neighbor.

The gist is that an out-of-town developer wanted to build some single-family homes in an empty field near 36th and Monroe, and the neighbors didn’t much care for that idea. The homes would be smaller, and require smaller lot sizes, so rezoning is necessary. Residents in the area successfully launched a protest petition, forcing a supermajority vote of the Hutchinson City Council to change the zoning and allow the housing development to move forward. The council will vote on the matter tonight at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

But I’m going to go a little harder.

I have spent my entire life on the South and West sides of Hutchinson. There aren’t but a handful of homes that come anywhere near $250,000, and there are a lot of homes that run for far less. Every home I’ve lived in has been valued at less than $100,000.

Your job, income, or the price of a home doesn’t make the person. I’ve met beautiful, and ugly, people across every income level.

I love the neighborhoods here. They have character. The people have interesting stories, fun hobbies, and they are eager to help each other out.

Yet a lot of people on this side of Hutchinson are acutely aware of what some people on the other side of Hutchinson think of us. The trepidation about coming down to “this side of town.” The decades of disinvestment and neglect in our side of town. The northward flight, as people and businesses move away from one version of Hutchinson, and towards the other.

Without real, intentional effort, there are very few times these two versions of Hutchinson have to co-mingle - but that division, that lack of common experience, damages our community.

Watching people in this community mobilize with such vigor and passion to protect their neighborhood from anyone who might not be able to afford more than a $200,000 home is a reminder of the lengths some people will go to keep their version of Hutchinson as far away as possible from our version of Hutchinson.

Where was that energy when they were closing our neighborhood schools? Where was that energy when we were trying to clean up an actual scrap yard in the middle of a residential area? Where was that energy when we talk about the terrible state of sidewalks kids use to get around? Or addressing dilapidated rental properties left to waste by out-of-state owners?

But talk about putting in a walking trail, sidewalks in new subdivisions, or building something other than McMansions and you best get ready for a fight with some of the city’s heaviest hitters.

Last week I talked about how Hutchinson’s indecision and cheapness has often stood in the way of our growth and development - and often ends up costing us more.

Gatekeeping is another barrier that might be even more damaging to our future.

Gatekeeping certain people out of certain neighborhoods, gatekeeping certain development and investment, gatekeeping which ideas get heard or ignored, and gatekeeping who gets to have a say in critical decisions about our future as a community.

I’ve heard people talk about this for a long time, and sometimes I know the stories I hear aren’t completely true, or at least don’t contain the full context. Not everything is as sinister as the legends imply. But sometimes we can see it play out in real time.

That’s happening here and it’s not simply an issue about North vs South, or rich vs poor. There has been a lot of hopeful excitement around this development - almost with a sense that this could be the thing that breaks apart the log jam and leads to further development.

I’ve visited with lenders, realtors, other builders, community partners - all of whom have expressed dismay that such an important development - on property that has been vacant for as long as anyone can remember - could be derailed. Housing developments like this are critical to Hutchinson’s ability to attract companies and residents, and it’s a key component to growing our tax base - which is essential to lowering our individual tax burdens. There is a broad cross-section of people working to improve our local economy who are hopeful this project moves forward.

I don’t envy the job the city council faces tonight. They have to balance a lot of competing interests, and no matter what decision they make, some group or another is going to be unhappy with them. And they’ve no doubt been getting pressure from a number of people who feel comfortable and have experience leaning their weight onto the scales.

My hope is the council will pave the way for this development to move forward. It feels like it could be a win for the community, even if there are people in the area won’t see it that way.

But hey, I suppose if some people are really unhappy with the new neighbors, they can always just keep moving further north.