Frances M. Topping – Planning Commission

Frances, an artist, educator, and naturalist, is interested in the health of our environment as well as in keeping Charlestown a special place. She has a broad worldview and experience, having grown up in England and lived in Canada and Ohio before settling in Charlestown in 2002. She has served on the Planning Commission for the last 12 years, having been elected four times. The knowledge and experience gained in her time on the Planning Commission are important in making decisions on behalf of the town, and her background in geography, botany, and zoology gives her an overview of the physical, economic, natural, and social environments. This combination allows her to study problems from different perspectives and aids in protecting Charlestown, making her a valuable member of the Planning Commission.

What makes Frances a good candidate for the Planning Commission? Developers wish to maximize profits; Frances wants to make sure that this wish does not conflict with environmental and aesthetic protection to the detriment of the residents of Charlestown, for whom she works. The Planning Commission is a volunteer position, but this does not stop her from working very hard to make sure that the environment and residents’ needs are taken into account.

Over the last 12 years on the Commission, she has studied and mastered the regulations that apply to land use and how they can be applied fairly. Working with residents and staff in developing the town’s Comprehensive Plan has given her a wider understanding of many aspects of the town. Her education, knowledge, and experience of living in other countries and communities have given her a unique perspective on the land and environment.

Frances wishes to continue to work for the people of the town, protecting Charlestown as much as possible from changes that would profoundly alter the character of this beautiful place. She has opposed proposals that would cause major disruptions to the community, such as the federal proposal to run high-speed rail through Charlestown, Invenergy’s proposed water withdrawal of water from our aquifer, other inappropriate commercial enterprises, and unsustainably high housing densities.

“I have seen quiet, rural places become full of shopping malls and dense housing, and the environment harmed, without sound planning. I believe any change or development should be well thought out, and be well regulated, and should enhance the character and maintain the beauty of Charlestown. I have no business interest or hidden agenda that would conflict with decision-making. I have lived here for 24 years and value, as I believe most residents do, Charlestown’s rural charm and small-town feel—with farms, forests, ponds, rivers, clean beaches, with wonderful small independent stores, and abundant wildlife. These features and the environment are worth preserving. Dedicated, knowledgeable Planning Commission members are one key to this protection.”