MADISON — Madison City Council District 6 candidate Scott Harbour said the city must take a data-driven, thoughtful approach as it considers residential development.
“Madison has some really unique opportunities in front of it as far as the types of housing that we zone for, but also the order in which we do that,” Harbour said. “And one of the things that Madison needs to make sure of is, as we’re zoning some of these properties for either high-density or low-density housing, that we’ve really taken a good look at the infrastructure around it.”
A longtime Madison resident, Harbour said there are many aspects to consider when managing smart growth.
“So how’s it going to impact housing, or how’s it going to impact traffic? But also how’s it going to impact the schools?” he said. “And so when I talk about looking at that and managing smart growth, it’s about using data to make decisions and really make sure that we’re looking at all aspects of it.”
He said one of the top priorities is making sure Madison remains supportive of small businesses.
“I think the other thing that I’m really focusing on is making sure that Madison is small business friendly,” Harbour said. “One of the things that I think is really important to a community is having a good mix of both big businesses, franchises and chains, but also small businesses where the business owners are really part of the fabric of the community.
“Because I think that creates a really strong backbone, but also gives us an opportunity to attract those retail dollars from outside of Madison’s area.”
Harbour said the city should take advantage of Town Madison and the city’s historic downtown to create a distinct identity.
“I think we’ve got some really unique opportunities that we can do there to create this, what I’m calling a Southern boutique charm,” he said. “So we’re not just adding rooftops, we’re also adding reasons for retail dollars to be spent here rather than outside of Madison.”
In a statement announcing his candidacy this month, Harbour cited his community involvement.
According to the statement, Harbour has served on the Madison City Zoning Board of Adjustment, was council chair of Grace United Methodist Church and chair of the Hogan Family YMCA Board of Managers.
Harbour is vice president of Finance at Chapman Sisson Architects.
“I was born in Alabama but because my father was an officer in the Army I was provided an opportunity to live in a lot of different places, but we moved to Huntsville when I was in high school so, for over 30 years, my home has been in North Alabama,” he said.
Since moving to Madison in 2008, Harbour and his wife have raised two sons, both graduates of Bob Jones High School.
“I’ve seen firsthand the amazing growth of Madison and understand the challenges and opportunities that growth provides,” he said. “I think my experience and knowledge can help steward Madison into the future.”
Harbour said his campaign is focusing on fostering a well-planned, vibrant city, ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with growth, and creating a city government that listens and acts in the best interests of residents.
Harbour is running against incumbent City Council member Karen Denzine and Erica White for the District 6 seat.
The Madison municipal election is Aug. 26.
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