Anti-Sprawl Laws, Property Rights Collide in Oregon

Washington Post ^ | February 28, 2005 | Blaine Harden

[CHUCKfromCAL]

The nation's strongest laws against sprawl are beginning to buckle here in Oregon under pressure from an even stronger, voter-approved law that trumps growth restrictions with property rights.

In a collision between two radically different visions of how cities should grow, claims under Oregon's new law are pitting neighbor against neighbor, rattling real estate values, unnerving bankers and spooking politicians.

The property-rights law, which was approved overwhelmingly by voters last fall and is known as Measure 37, is on the brink of wrecking Oregon's best-in-the-nation record of reining in sprawl, according to state officials and national planning experts.

[CHUCKfromCAL]

Another case where liberal precepts fail to be affirmed when put to a vote

[GeronL]

Nothing wrong with sprawl... can't stand big cities

[goldstategop]

The same folks that voted for French Boy turned around to vote to affirm property rights. Even liberals are conservatives when it comes to their own pocketbook.

(Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News.")

[AmericanArchConservative]

bump for later reading

[AmericanArchConservative]

I'm an anomaly - a lifelong Conservative Republican in Portland, Multnomah County - the most populated and Liberally democratic county in the state. Property rights and taxation are linchpin issues in turning around at least some of the radical left wing bent to the metro areas of this state.

There is hope yet...

A.A.C.

[goldstategop]

People favor liberal measures as long as it doesn't impact them considerably. If they do - watch out! Consider this revealing paragraph:

"They say the new law illustrates a nationwide paradox in public opinion: Although voters tend to favor protection of farmland and open space, they vote down these protections if they perceive them as restrictions on personal rights."

There's still hope for America. DON'T TREAD ON ME is still very much an American motto - even in Blue States like Oregon.

(Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News.")

[Lorianne]

This is a good start but what they fail to mention is restrictive zoning laws have been in force in this country for 60+ years.

Also, a property owner should have the right to develop his property as he sees fit, but the city does not have an obligation to provide infrastructure (maintained roads, water, sewer, fire and police protection etc) to outlyining areas just because someone wants to develop it.

"Sprawl" would be contained quite nicely by market forces if cities would simply make developers, not taxpayers, pay for the costs of infrastructure extensions and improvements related to their developments.

[zoyd]

The property-rights law, which was approved overwhelmingly by voters last fall and is known as Measure 37, is on the brink of wrecking Oregon's best-in-the-nation record of reining in sprawl, according to state officials and national planning experts.

Gee, a little editorial bias here? There seems to be a clear implication that 'reining in sprawl' is a de facto 'good thing'.

I'm also suspicious that there are such things as "national planning experts", who I imagine are about as busybody-minded as anyone on the planet.

[meyer]

Nothing wrong with sprawl... can't stand big cities

Quit importing illegal immigrants and we wouldn't have to keep expanding our cities.

[John Lenin]

Nothing wrong with sprawl... can't stand big cities

Bigger is not better. Bigger problems that become unmanageable.

[Steely Tom]

Gee, a little editorial bias here? There seems to be a clear implication that 'reining in sprawl' is a de facto 'good thing'.

Well, if you're sure that your audience is 100% in agreement with you that "reining in sprawl" is a 'good thing,' I guess this isn't editorial bias. Since the liberals who write and edit The Washington Post only socialize with other liberals, we have to consider the possibility that they simply are unaware that there is any opposition to those selfless people who want to "rein in sprawl." All the while keeping in mind (of course) that before one can write for The Washington Post, one must first establish that he or she is much, much smarter than the average American.

(steely)

[thirst4truth]

I am sorry for you, Multnomah is an incredibly liberal county which the rest of the state always loses elections to .
I am from Southern Oregon and a Realtor and we are very excited about Measure 37. This is about when the state, changes the zoning after you own it. The most sweeping change came in the form of Senate bill 100 in 1973, but a few zone changes have happened since then. One of the worst is Farm land must be 80 or 160 acre minimum's and until you can prove you have produced $20,000 worth of income 3 out of 5 years, you cannot build a home on that land!!!
So what Measure 37 does is allow you to develop your land with the zoning laws in place when you bought it. If you have owned a piece of property since the 1940's when there were no zoning laws, the counties will approve everything, because they do not have the funds to reimburse. The state on the other hand, says they are not going to approve anything for 180 days. But this measure was passed with way more than a majority and for the second time.
What out libs, homes and businesses are going to spring up everywhere, oh and maybe some cutting of trees will take place too!!

[goldstategop]

Liberal "anti-sprawl" laws were really intended to inhibit the growth of exurbs. That may change in Oregon and change its political demographics. More exurbs = more Republicans. Not good news for the Left.

(Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News.")

[Danae]

I am with ya brother! I proudly have my W stickers on my truck and I go into the city every day.
I am thinking of getting a new one however. "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder". It is the ONLY explanation for Ted "Tax-N-Gouge me" and the rest of these Idiots that are running the state. If you can even come close to calling it "running". What was it he said on the Radio the other day? 'the language of Measure 37 doesn't do what the law was written to do,". Uh what part don't ya get Teddy? The part about either giving Property Owners their rights or paying them back for the loss they HAVE to take because of irrational Property Restrictions? And you have a Billion $ budget shortfall? How bout letting people build and then being able to collect your insanely high Property Taxes Ted? Morons I am telling ya! "Nah, let's make people rent and then pay no taxes at all" seems to be their motto!

Out here in St. Helens at least Columbia county isn't charging THOUSANDS of dollars to get the rights back we had when we bought the property we own!

[tacticalogic]

Also, a property owner should have the right to develop his property as he sees fit,

Used to be. The New Deal put a stop to that.

[jpl]

If you truly want to cut down on sprawl, you need to cut down on immigration, period. Anyone who talks about the first without talking about the second is just a shameless political hack.

[Skylos]

"Even liberals are conservatives when it comes to their own pocketbook."

Ain't it the truth!

[neverdem]

bump & a ping

[Salvation]

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[KC_Conspirator]

Anti-sprawl laws are just meant to keep and nullify Republican votes, trappng them in filthy-dirty, crime riddne inner cities.