In his column (If you want green space, buy your own), Thomas Beach argues against state efforts to purchase the development rights of farmlands by saying that the price is not high enough and "because the farmer uses up the money and then is stuck with a farm."
While I'm sure this may sometimes be the case, I think this oversimplifies things. The prices are negotiated and based on fair market appraisals. And the goal of the state's Farmland Preservation Program is to maintain the agricultural sector of the economy as much, if not more than, to maintain open space.
Mr. Beach also scoffs at the idea of village-style development, saying that people prefer to live on large lots in large houses.
It seems the only people who choose to live in cities are a few yuppies and the elderly who may need public transportation and easy access to services.This statement seems absurd, if not insulting and condescending.
But here is the part that stood out for me:
Except for my time in the Army, I haven't done any serious walking since I turned 16 and got my driver's license. I have never ridden a bus or subway and don't ever plan to.I find that simply sad.
5 comments:
Thanks to you pointing this out, I just added my own posting. I find it harder and harder to pick up a Snooze Journal any longer. While this Cecil County, MD attorney resident opines about DE land use and how it affects him (implied), I still blame the Snooze Journal for printing his hate and calling it a COMMUNITY VIEW. Whose community?
I'm not sure I would object to this on quite those grounds. The NJ often includes viewpoints from Cecil Co., which is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Area, according to the Feds. In addition, I think Mr. Beach practices in Delaware. I'm not certain, but I believe I've seen his name before.
I find this sad as well. While I don't agree with every point in Delaware's development plan, I think that the preservation of what little 'green' we have left is important.
Here is Northern New Castle County, it is an overdeveloped mess. Our only refuge is the little town of Arden, still trying to maintain its unique identity, with newly-monied yuppies banging at their door.
I probably could have been more specific in my comment here. I agree that Cecil County certainly shares in many things in the Newark area, down to Middletown. That would lead to inclusion in Community View. My hangup is a Maryland resident harping on a DE State law regarding land use/management. I fail to see how that affects a resident of another state in regards to his residential lifestyle. Now, if his employment, other than the Cecil County Community College has to do with DE Land Use, I think it would have been completely fair of him (in regards to us) to give that disclosure. Make no mistake, he made no attempts to hide his disdain with his opponents. He made insulting comments to those opposite of his view and he spared nothing of the DE process, either. If he really wants to change our law, then maybe the individual should be a DE resident for right now it will affect us, not him.
If he is from Maryland, it is no wonder he thinks the way he does. He still has at least ten years to go until he catches up to the level of sophistication that Delaware residents currently subscribe.
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