by flit .
Member since:
August 11, 2006

Small town rant

November 03, 2007 11:19 AM EDT
views: 109 | rating: 10/10 (31 votes) | comments: 50

I am steamed!

The township I live in has basically sold out - everything - to developers.

They have started clearing land to put in enough houses to double the number we already have - that's the plan - to double the number of houses in our township over the next 5 years.

They have already proven - at least some of them - that they do not deserve to be here; they don't follow the rules, and just do whatever the hell they want - clear cut during nesting season, lie, manipulate, etc.

The largest of the bunch bought land in the town across the lake from us and immediately started demanding that the existing homeowners around his development area clean up their homes; paint, etc, etc. The entire town has to spend money to meet his citiot criteria.

AND NOW the township has sent us all a notice that WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE - A LOT MORE - for our water to cover the cost of improvements needed because of the development projects.

Excuse me???????????? We ALREADY pay more than twice what they pay all around us. Three times some areas.

And WE'RE supposed to bear the costs of so called improvements we don't want, weren't given a choice about, and which are destroying our environment and way of life? There is NO benefit to us to have a huge influx of citiots. They don't buy - or hire - locally. All we get out of the deal is more citiots, more traffic, more noise & more aggravation - oh and less trees, less view & less of everything we moved here for. Many of us - the locals - are already talking about moving further north.

I do not have the time or energy to get involved in local politics - but I don't see how I can avoid it at this point - I am far too angry to keep my mouth shut and stay out of it. What a crock!

 

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Comments: 50

Rita j. Nov 3, 2007, 11:23am EDT
interesting
Debbie G. Nov 3, 2007, 11:25am EDT
Oh Flit, my heart goes out to you! And to the land, and the wildlife.
lynn a. Nov 3, 2007, 11:29am EDT
Flit, I understand your point completely. It is so unfair. Just north of us about 25 miles a town is running out of water because so many of the Memphians ran up there to escape our city. They have built McMansions and have watered lawns to the point drinking water was at risk this summer. My friend lives on 60 acres, family land going way back and the subdivision has sprung up across from her. A 2 lane highway and city traffic pouring in. I'd be angry too. And it is unfair. And once the citiots go in they want to look down their noses at the locals. The do not want to shop in the area. They do just take and not give back. It is disgusting.
Miz Lynn aka/BooBoo Nov 3, 2007, 11:30am EDT
Looks like its time for Flit to run for Council! Odds are most people sitting there are business owners right? Looking to fill their business pockets because of all the new people moving into your area. I ask "why?" the city isn't paying for this? They are the ones who will be collecting taxes on the new homes...
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 11:33am EDT
they've presented us with a choice...we get to choose from 3 options... all of which, of course, involve US PAYING FOR EVERYTHING.

I hear there is a meeting coming up at which we get to discuss those 3 options A, B, or C - think ~someone~ will need to go and suggest an option D - for developers - who SHOULD be paying the bill
lynn a. Nov 3, 2007, 11:44am EDT
I agree with you, Flit, the developers are going to benefit financially from this, not you. Your space is going to encroached on, your taxes will go up, and why should they so someone else can come in and do all the benefitting without footing the entire fair share of the bill. I don't see why you should have to pay for someone else to have something they want. And then they disrupt life as you knew it. Rant, Flit. Maybe you can slow it down or possibly stop part of it. I know some now is a done deal. But it can get worse.
lynn a. Nov 3, 2007, 11:46am EDT
Oh, and my friend with the farm. The subdivision which hasn't been there two years yet that is filled with fleeing Memphians has also brought crime. There are break-ins. A known pedophile and the first murder. I am a city dweller. But I am still against this. I have seen what happens to the small communities when the flight takes hold.
J W. Nov 3, 2007, 11:47am EDT
sorry
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 11:49am EDT
the land being sold is a done deal... but who pays for the water isn't, I don't think

the letter they sent out could be used in a textbook re: persuasive writing ... but I am not persuaded.

They make it sound like we have to choose one of those 3 options... it's like when my kids were little and I would say "would you like to go to bed now, or in 10 minutes"
Vivian P. Nov 3, 2007, 11:49am EDT
The very same thing is happening here Our little town has grown so fast and the emergency services can't keep up. It's scary . And yes my taxes are high.
Debbie G. Nov 3, 2007, 11:50am EDT
Flit, can you and others work together to hire an attorney?
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 11:51am EDT
I used that strategy a lot - with the kids, and more recently with Doris - its a good way of getting compliance... they want us to choose Option C ... it is the only sensible one of the 3 they've offered

what they DON'T want us to do is to look for a D
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 11:52am EDT
I've left a message for my brother in law who is also hopping mad - and who knows a lot more people than I do .... will sort something out - and hopefully get to the meeting the town is having about it...
Jerri H. Nov 3, 2007, 11:52am EDT
Wow Flit.....I hope it works out one way or another. Good luck!!
Brian T. Nov 3, 2007, 12:00pm EDT
These devlopers are having their cake and eating it too. Who's getting paid for this arrangement?
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 12:04pm EDT
sure as hell ain't the locals, Brian

the previous mayor made a killing though - he won the election and immediately got his real estate license. Guess who sold a lot of the properties to the developers and made huge commissions?

he's no longer the mayor - but new guy doesn't seem to be doing much to protect our interests either.
lynn a. Nov 3, 2007, 12:06pm EDT
Yep. Who's pockets are getting lined. It surely isn't the every day citizen.
lynn a. Nov 3, 2007, 12:07pm EDT
Maybe it's time to put a bee in the new mayor's bonnet.
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 12:09pm EDT
think I'm definitely going to have to start going to meetings... this is bluddy ridiculous!
PEACEOWORK :) Nov 3, 2007, 12:10pm EDT
good points. :)
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 12:11pm EDT
I met with the woman in charge of this stuff during the summer when I was working on my environmental science project - think I will email her and see if I can drop in and talk to her about it
Donna Hammett-Tooker Nov 3, 2007, 12:30pm EDT
When I did title work, many of the older farmland parcels were being sold and divided up by developers into housing divisions - just running out of places to build houses in the "right" places for school attendance lines to have their children go to the "best school for their future success." Older laws allowed you to put your child in a district in the state if you owned property (did not have to live there, just own property) but that was repealed in the early 1980s and a new strategy had to be found. Buy up land parcels in the desired attendance areas so the people could build a house there and have to live in it in order for their child to attend school in the district they wanted. Some of the lower state families maintained several homes just for the purpose of overriding the attendance laws. Your citiots seem to be employing the same theory for a different reason - escaping the city. Good luck, Flit, this may not be a fight you can win but don't give up until you have to.
j - Frugal Mom - r. Nov 3, 2007, 12:31pm EDT
I so sorry to hear that your town is being ruined. It sure seems to me that you need to get involved....that everyone in your town needs to get involved.
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 12:33pm EDT
the land purchases are all done deals... nothing we can do about those - but I'm hoping we CAN do something about the proposed increases in our water bills to cover their development.

Can't hurt to try, anyway.
Ruth MacGill Nov 3, 2007, 12:50pm EDT
Oh Flit, I am so sorry! But that is happening all over the country as the rich get richer, coorporations get more powerful, and the world gets more populous. We have so many rocks and rattlesnakes around here it isn't happening very fast, but a big tract of large half-million dollar homes have blighted Campo not far away. I've heard many of them are now in trouble financially and the owners are losing them after only two or three years. Maybe a wildfire will burn them all down in another fire season. The water table is already in peril with so many new homes, yet another tract is already under way in Campo. The local people haven't found a way to prevent it.
Do you need a campaign manager? I'm here for you.
wiaka's just ... curious Nov 3, 2007, 1:03pm EDT
Flit I completely understand where you are coming from. We live in a city that depends much in part to the surrounding areas natural habitat and with the influx of people from the bay area not only are they damaging the environment but are making the area more expensive to live in. All our housing and service cost have more then tripled in cost.

I don't know how anyone individual or group of people would stop anything like this because our city fathers has money signs in their eyes.

And you are right too in your statement that most of the new businesses don't hire locally.

Blessings
Brian T. Nov 3, 2007, 1:03pm EDT
Sounds like a little or a lot of "quid pro quo" is going on. Looks like if the ex-mayor cooperated with the developers and allowed them some breaks while in office, that they the developers would buy from the ex-mayor allowing him to make a lot of $$$$ after he left office. This sounds like a good way to end up in jail one day too.
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 1:03pm EDT
I'm sitting here thinking about writing a letter/article for local newspapers - or to give out through out store and perhaps others here

this is SO MUCH BULLPUCKY!
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 1:05pm EDT
I should make a flyer.... !
Brian T. Nov 3, 2007, 1:09pm EDT
I think you should try the local media in the US the media broke every major scandal for the last 200 yrs and lot of not so major ones. Media exposure leads to a lot of Chicago politicians getting indicted and winding up in jail. I read about it close to every other day here.
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 1:12pm EDT
LOL doubt the US media would care, Brian, since I am Canadian
Larry H. Nov 3, 2007, 1:29pm EDT
"THAT'S LIFE" Then if you wanted to put a pond on your property you couldn't you would have some bug or other critter......But they can come along and dig in the same area to put a sewer line or gas line through and it is okay. There is a family near where I live that has a little creek running through their property, the county wants ot come through and dig up the creek for some reason or another. That would mess up a lot more than it would help..
Janet "Jax" B. Nov 3, 2007, 2:04pm EDT
That's part of the issue here too Flit...over water. Alabama and Florida say that Atlanta is growing too fast...now, how is that MY fault?? We pay a ton for water and now they want us to pay even more so other states can take it?
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 2:12pm EDT
it's just ridiculous...why should we pay for something we get no benefit whatsoever from?
Carol Roach Nov 3, 2007, 2:19pm EDT
I certainly see why you would be angry and people should form a committee and protest rather than just move.
Heather W. Nov 3, 2007, 3:11pm EDT
That's awful, Flit. I wish I had a solution for you.
Denise B. Nov 3, 2007, 5:02pm EDT
I would ask why you the existing taxpayers need to pay for future land owners water, it is not your problem and YOU do not want the town to grow - if that is their argument, you all live their to be in a rural area!!
Trish A. Nov 3, 2007, 6:52pm EDT
Flit, it's hard to hear about this going on all over. Are there any environmental issues you could use to stop this? Best of luck.
flit . Nov 3, 2007, 6:56pm EDT
just talked to sister in law... they got the info from the public library - who were apparently told NOT to spread it around as they really don't want people to know about it (presumably until it is too late)

Meeting is this Tuesday - I can't go as I am teaching a class... but will find someone that is to let me know what happens, and will be writing/submitting something to the town
Susan *. Nov 3, 2007, 7:41pm EDT
flit...I am SO sorry this is happening to you! How frustrated you must be and I wouldn't blame you one bit if you got "in their face" and told them what you think of the situation....please keep us in the loop on what is happening and know that we're thinking of you and that we support you in any way we can!
Sue * Nov 3, 2007, 9:23pm EDT
Oh, now I get it...I should read things in order! Sometimes you just have to stand up and fight...and this seems like the time. I am sorry you are going through this, but I know that you will do your best and put up the good fight!
OH CARP!!!!
Tina Coruth Nov 3, 2007, 11:29pm EDT
Where are the folks who run the town? Sometimes small towns are less democratic than people think. The folks in charge just do whatever they want. Good luck, Flit.
Elsie Duggan Nov 4, 2007, 1:40am EST
I have one thing to say to you Flit, GO GET EM!!! If anybody can you can, personally I think this whole thing you are ranting about stinks, I would say sucks, but people don't expect me to use a word like that, but hey, I hate it when someone new comes in and changes things and you end up having to pay. Same is happening here with our apartments. New place bought them up, they want to upgrade , new friges, dishwashers, stoves, and a fancy microwave, and increase your rent by 400 per month. I could go buy each one of those for just about that, and then not pay it every month for years to come. But no say in that either; Now last night they sent me a survey wanting to know if I would recommend people to come and live here. I think I am going to say, if I meet anyone rich enough I will, this is a nice place to live, have been here in same apt. for 27 years, but I will be looking too. I think I might also ask, since they are asking opinions, why they don't have special rates for seniors, lol, I think that will go over big. When I moved here rent was $400 a month, and until a couple of years ago when this place took over was 900. Now I am playing 1200. So I can barely make it, and I will be looking because could I be paying 1600. no way Jose,
please excuse typing and grammar errors, tired but had to do this. I don't know why I am so pooped it is ony 1:39, feels about 2:39, yes I know it really is, time for bed anyway, Good night Flit, and thanks for everything,
CyberGwen ! Nov 4, 2007, 5:02pm EST
That is bull pucky!! They should be paying it, not the existing residents!!
Bundy P Nov 4, 2007, 7:40pm EST
Ridiculous!
Elizabeth S. Nov 25, 2008, 1:07pm EST
I've seen it happen here. I was living in a tiny town of about 3000 people. It was too close to the suburbs to be rural, but we had the illusion of being country. The city council allowed a major corporation to start building very nice, expensive homes in the community despite the fact that we'd been on water rationing 5 times out of the last 8 years. The little two room roads weren't enough, the tiny police force had to be enlarged, and of course, whatever the big corporation wanted was fine. My city taxes doubled despite the fact that our taxable property was increasing significantly by the month.

Of course, we had to increase our school taxes, too, because there was a real need for new elementary and middle schools, and lots of buses needed to get them to and from the schools.

So now the little town (I moved) has these very expensive houses on lots as small as my small one for my small house. Why anyone would pay $1 million for a house near the lake and the railroad track with no privacy is beyond me. It's the only place I've heard of where the most expensive towns are closest to the railroad tracks.
La Lady Lisa Westerfield Jan 21, 2009, 3:34pm EST
Flit, I know this was written in 2007, but how did it turn out? I have a friend who fought a telephone company and so far she has won against them.
Nancy S. Aug 8, 2009, 3:35pm EDT
That would have me in a rage too Flit. A town a few miles from me had a similar problem. A contractor built new houses around a hog farm and when they complained of the smell they made them shut the farm down. That was a working farm for over a hundred years. Crazy what they can do to people.

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