Your thoughts are valid. Until recently I have been neutral about some of the environmental programs thinking that they were mostly OK. NO more. I see the plan, and I hope it isn't too late. I used to think it was just the Sierra Club, but I see that these folks have a far reaching agenda that will soon touch all of us.
We have a 5 acre zoning law here designed to keep development sparse because of water and drainage issues. We sold that idea to preserve "open space". It was actually because we have no sewers and heavy clay soil.
Now the Plan Commission has decided that they are going to preserve open space by putting in "conservation subdivisions" -- put everyone on very small lots with the rest of the land held in "common". The reason being that they can utilize more of the land that way because you don't have to be able to find buildable sites every 5 acres -- the houses can be clustered together and the rest of the land can be swamp, utility easments, a pond --whatever.
The problem is that the homeowners cannot use the land for horses, llamas, or any other purpose -- it's common land. (This is called "horse country" -- they're going to have to change the sign soon and call it "bird house country" if the subdivision going in next to me is any example.)
They want more houses to pay more taxes and they are going to drive those of us who have a little land right out of town with the high taxes.
They are so anal with their planning -- I heard a Plan Commissioner throw a hiss fit the other night because a 5 acre lot would allow the homeowner to put their house any place within the setback rules. "We can't have that," she said, "we want to tell them where to put their houses. What if someone wants to put their house at the back of the lot?!? We want control."
Talk about an enviro-Nazi! She fits the description.
It sounds like they are boxing residents in which in turn will make them want to sell and go elsewhere. The environmentalists will then buy them out and sell it to China, etc. The conservatives are trying to put a stop to this all the land grabbing, especially where natural resources and raw materials are needed to keep the country running. The dems are looking the other way while the whackos push property holders out by making remaining there there too distasteful. That's the plan, friend.
At least my condo meeting went well. The president and I had an exchange which I handily won. After sticking her foot in her mouth upon one statement by me, she backtracked and I ended up looking at samples for painting the whole complex. It may have been a ruse, but you never know. I selected a San Francisco Pink (terra cotta) with Old Towne trim (darker) or a spice beige/darker beige. Prez wanted gray with maroon trim which would just ruin the place - this is Florida, for God's sake! LOL I'd hate to look out my window and see gray and maroon cement. I have pale blue and pale green walls.
Whether it's land or a condo, people have to attend meetings and pay attention. There is the agenda and also the HIDDEN agenda. It's the hidden one you have to be concerned about.
They are so dense that the one board member recalled back when I was President that lots of unit owners came to all the meetings as opposed to the past five years. Too bad cheating kept me off the board. So, they got what they wanted temporarily; nobody is paying attention except me and a handful of people. Change is in the works though. We'll have our complex back by Jan. 2003 in competent hands by folks who served with me.