New Jersey Is Running Out of Open Land It Can Build on

NY Times (non-fiction ed.) ^ | May 24, 2003 | LAURA MANSNERUS

[BrookdalePark]

"What's as troubling as the pace of loss is the location."

What's more troubling than either of those is that it's Mr. McGreevey making sure that anything he can gobble up will be gobbled up for the benefit of him and his cronies. His audacity is without limit. He has no shame, and his greed is ... there is no adequate word.

[metesky]

There are plenty of outright lies in this little gem, but this is the egregious:

But the rate of consumption may have increased in the late 1990's, many land-use experts say, in a pattern entrenched across the nation. American appetites for space have put ever-smaller families onto ever-larger lots.

"In the '50's and '60's, a quarter of an acre was a lot, and half an acre was huge," said James W. Hughes, the dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers. "Now it's one acre, three acres, five acres."

In the sixties they got slapped down for "snob zoning" which is when they came up with zoning for "open space". These large lots are almost always the result of government zoning by unelected boards of experts who think they are so gd smart that they can fix the "mistakes" of the smart planners of the 50s and 60s.

It's all a shell game and the term "smart growth" is a good tip-off.

"Smart Growth" is "Agenda 21"

[Petronski]

You listed this article as "NY Times (non-fiction ed.)" but I have my doubts. The headline "...Is Running Out..." implies an immediacy not supported by the text of the article, which instead speaks of 20 years until 'buildout' or far longer until 'buildout.'

The New York Times is sick, and running an opinion piece like this as a news item is just another symptom.

[Petronski]

"In the '50's and '60's, a quarter of an acre was a lot, and half an acre was huge," said James W. Hughes, the dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers. "Now it's one acre, three acres, five acres."

Horror of horrors! The Peasants are Buying Land!

[metesky]

Bump

[Teacher317]

They're making the fear-mongering excuses so that government can control even private land use... then the other states, which are not enarly as densely populated, will follow suit.

[Leisler]

First the left didn't want people living in "ticky-tacky boxes.” Then they wanted everyone on 2 acres minimum. Now they are saying the land is being gobbled up. Naturally this is way since they knocked off the family farm or overtaxed unused open land, which if you are a enviro you can now get at no to low taxes.

Like most things in America, we are now in a spiral of the leftists own making.

[P.O.E.]

Funny how all the New Yorkers move out to the country, but don't realize they are the very people they're moving to get away from.

The friendliness and community-spirit of small semi-rural towns is soon ruined by strident, rude, "get-over on others before they get-over on you" knuckleheads. Soon followed by lawsuits, urbanized and discontented kids, and trouble.

Maybe it's just the few bad apples, but the odds rise the more the "bennies" move in.

[Churchjack]

That's silly. Build your streets bigger, or drive a smaller car as your conscience dictates. Leave my vehicle alone.

By the way, how many acres of land do you suppose NJ wastes on those ridiculous mug handles? JUST TURN LEFT!!

If y'all need land in Jersey, I'd be happy to ship you some of mine....

[Princeliberty]

Well with the direction New Jersey's economy is headed
and don't think the governor need worry too much
about this problem. Empty unused buildings on the other
hand may be a problem that's going to come on strong.

[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

Guys, Part of the reason might be U.N. control of close to 1/2 million acres called The New Jersey Pine Lands U.N. Biosphere. Henry lamb has links in his WND article on "U.N. influence in Alabama" today. And, along with the Nature Conservancy {and other bureaucratic "non-profit" enviralist "NGOs"} in collusion with local{?} and U.S. of A. government, they will control MORE "scarce" property. Ain't life wonderful?? Peace and love, George.

[Ditter]

Haven't I read articles about bears in NJ? Also I saw The Blair Witch Project (regretfully), wasn't that NJ? Don't tell me those weren't true. OH NO! I've been duped again!

[Pharmboy]

You listed this article as "NY Times (non-fiction ed.)" but I have my doubts.

You got me. At times my being a wise guy (or at least trying to) gets me in trouble. You are, of course, correct.

When it (Howell) Raines, it pours.

[Pharmboy]

Yep and nope. Last week there was a bear in a tree in my town (Rockaway) and yesterday a bear attacked a guy trying to save his dog (he's doing ok, the dog is critical). That happened a few towns over.

Blair Witch was in Maryland.

[Ditter]

OK Now tell me about the "Jersey devil". Doesn't he live in the woods?

[geege]

No I'm in Annandale......Yikes.....Phillipsburg.....no way!!!!! I heard about what happened so I took the back roads home....got home in 20 minutes from Bedminster....I like driving on Mountain Road by Road Valley.....

[B Knotts]

Government exists to solve crises. If none exist, they must be created.

[Pharmboy]

From here

One of the more interesting stories I heard , when I moved to New Jersey, was about the Jersey Devil. It seems that a frightening and gruesome creature haunts the very neighborhood we live in. The Jersey Devil has been terrorizing the Pineland area for over 250 years. He has been blamed for many horrifying deeds and his sightings have been numerous.

I know that I will think twice before walking the sandy trails in the Pinelands because "Where stunted pines of burned-over forest are revealed in darksome pools, The Jersey Devil Lurks."

It seems that there are several versions of the Story, but they all revolve around the birth of a child. That child then tranforms into- you guessed it-

The Devil of NJ

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©Sandy Sandy

The most common folktale is that the Jersey Devil is the offspring of one Mrs. Leeds, who, in 1735, after hearing she was pregnant with her 13th child, was overheard saying "it might just as well be a devil as a child." Devil it was, and it flew directly from womb to the swamps, cursing it's mother on the way out the chimney.

The Devil eventually began to enjoy status of local legend, (and even became the state's "official demon" in the 1930's) tales of his beginnings filling the conversations of pubs and churches alike.

Descriptions of the Devil range from a "flying lion" to "an eagle with four legs" and everything in-between, but one attribute that does not change from report to report is the Devil's call, a combination howl and whistle. When harassing the good people of New Jersey, the Devil would eat livestock, attempt to steal children, and scare the bejezus out of everyone in the process, often leaving cloven footprints to corroborate the stories of startled victims.

Another Version-

The New Jersey Devil to some is a mythical being and to some a reality. The story begins centuries ago with a Quaker woman named Mother Leeds who was involved with a some sort of mysterious evil cult. She had 12 children during that time. However, when she was pregnant with the 13th child, she cursed it to be a devil. Her wish was granted as the newborn emerged normal at first, but then turned into a vile looking creature with horns, wings, and hooves. When it was born it immediately killed the entire family and laid waste to the small quaker town.

Yet Another Version-

According to one legend, the Jersey Devil was born during the American Revolution. The story goes that during the Battle of Chestnut Creek, a lovelorn Leeds Point girl fell for a British soldier. She was cursed by townsfolk for this act of treason and, as a result, later gave birth to the Leeds Devil.

One More Version-

A gypsy curse is also reputed to have brought the creature to the south Jersey woods. In this tale, a young girl, frightened by a vagabond, refused his request for food. All was forgotten until the girl gave birth to her first child, which became the fiendish creature.

Today it is said that this beast has been spotted in small towns near the deep forests in southern Jersey. References state that this short hairy demon lives in the huge preserved forest of the Pine Barrens.

[Future Snake Eater]

From my personal perception, it seems that there is plenty of room to develop. What I saw of Newark clearly showed that it needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Think the state gov't would go for it?

[headsonpikes]

"Sounds like a lie to either raise property values or some other underhanded move."

A winner on the first response!

Development restrictions are favored by developers with less desirable properties, and by existing property owners. Both of these groups seek to use the state to advance their economic interests.

This is the tragic flaw of all attempts to use the government for 'good' purposes, as contrasted with the necessary war-making and criminal justice functions of the state, which are unproductive economically of goods that consumers can use. The rhetoric of good purposes always disguises the reality of self-interest.

It's all about the money.