No Question – Land-Use is Everybody’s Concern.

Implications: I think people are concerned, better informed and a lot more forceful in their wishes for the community they have selected than in the past.  Don’t expect the process to get less intensive in the future.  The residents selected the community because it had a set of qualities they wanted to pay for and live with.  Their expectations were high when they moved in and they see the future as being better yet.  When the development industry proposes an addition or change to the urban mix, they are concerned.  I don’t see this concern as being a negative influence.  Rather, I believe this is just like any other industry where you need to deliver a product which suits the consumer and the environment and the community’s financial health.  All industries are subject to regulation.  Why should land development escape?

Analysis:

Consumer activism has improved the country.  Many land uses are less than desirable.  Every community needs services that are dirty and utilities including waste removal and processing.  No one wants to live next to or see these facilities from residential areas.  If a use is proposed which is going to provide jobs but lessen income levels in the community or interfere with schools, residents are not going to be pleased.  Everyone wants the best retail available both as a shopping destination and a contributor of income to the community, but living within two blocks of the development is not considered desirable.  Absolutely no home owner wants to live next to rental apartments, so that fight is universal whether right or wrong.

As a country, we are making significant choices now.  For instance, we’re denying Wal-Mart their business plan as being mean-spirited and expensive to the community.  We’re denying utilities the right to fire up coal where they want.  We’re waking up to excesses in the meat-packing and dairy industries as being unhealthy and unsustainable in the future.  We're waking up to the oceans and rivers in trouble.  We’re concerned with energy use in transportation and elsewhere.

There are compromises to be made in each case.  We were a lot less concerned in the past, but that was only because we were not informed.  With the exception of a few who had vision, the negative results of development were not apparent to the populace.  Now the possible results are alarming and often predictable.  Each proposal is worthy of citizen review in the mind of those who have the time and energy for the effort.  Often energy brings emotion and sometimes the points made by citizens are not worthwhile, but expect that more citizen participation in community development activity will be the norm.