DEVELOPEMENT'S GOOD OR BAD ???

[WhyNot]

DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

Here is the story. I live in an area of N.J. that is still considered some what rural. 2 years ago a referendum was passed that allowed the township to collect additional tax dollar's to put toward's farmland preservation which is fine by me but the program is a bit of a joke but that is another story. Any how I read the paper today and it seem's like the township is planing on changing their stance on non-development and would like to encourage it. They figure that it will lower property taxes and allow more $ for a private dam that need's to be rebuilt on a private lake that if my tax dollar's go to fix I still can't drop a boat and go fishing unless I know one of the owner's and for a sewer project for the town. The way I see it the more homes in a township mean's more kid's to send to school=more $, will now have to deal with traffic issue's=more$, will now have to have trash collection, If I buy a $500,000 house when it snow's I would want the road's passable ASAP=more plow operator's=more$,etc. etc. So in my mind I can not see how development could be good but, I could be wrong so for those who have seen it happen am I right or wrong. Sorry about the rant

 

[ByronBob]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

In NY there are all these Empire Zones. These allow businesses to pay no taxes for 10 years. Great for jobs but the tax base slides to homeowners. Schools continue to have to pay wages way higher than I get and pay all their insurances.

So taxes go up or they get other revenue streams. The businesses don't don't pay it so what's left other than homes.

 

[dubba]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

All the statements are being made by someone who has no idea what they are talking about, use at your own risk.

I hate developments. I hate the people that live in developments. Maybe I don't hate the people, maybe they are a product of their upbringing. Maybe they don't realize manure stinks, pigs stink, cows stink, their beloved horses stink. Maybe they should have researched living in the country before they freaking moved here@@@!!!!

Developments bring in families. Families mean more kids & welfare. Yes I said it, WELFARE. how did they afford to move here if they have no money?

More families mean bigger schools, more town services. AT first it seems OK, After all, we are just educating tomorrow's workers.

But then they creep in further.. They want trash pickup, they want a better library (Who needs a library in today's Internet age?, I have instant access to more information than is stored in our State library right here in my living room)

Now the brats, I mean kids, are growing up. We need 24hr police protection to keep them from breaking windows, joyriding around drunk bashing into 100 yr old maple trees. (Dam that tree was a good syrup producer too..)

Then the good development people AND most of the other town folk say OMG taxes are like, ridiculous, we need more development. AARRGG!!

What nobody wants & every town needs is a solid Business Plan. What I mean is a dedicated area of town to encourage businesses to come in.

ByronBob's "empire zones" are a fairly good idea IMHO for a couple of reasons. The businesses will pay taxes in 10 years, more jobs & they can't build more houses there!!

My town has put a moratorium on building permits. Only 36 permits per year. They are all reserved for the next 5 years.
180 new houses in 5 years in a town with a population of 5000. Lemme guess, we are gonna need another new fire station, 5 more firetrucks, 3 more full time cops, & a BIGGER LIBRARY.

Sorry about the rant, Can you tell it's town meeting time in NH?

 

[LMTC]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

Ditto on what you said. Time and time again I have watched this as the city moves toward us, and the only clear winners are land developers (duh!), builders, (duh again), realtors (in case you don't consider them land developers as I do), and politicians. Why politicians? Development brings the bad politicians (the give-way guys) a ready-made voter base.

The developers tell us "We bring you sewers and better/more/wider roads". I say "who needs 'em when the density is low?" The builders say "we create jobs". I say "yeah, and you BRING the labor to fill them..all too often illegally immigrated labor these days." Realtors say "all this will make your property value increase." I say "why the blazes would I want that? It makes my taxes go up. It only means something if I want to sell and leave, and I DON'T want to sell and leave!" Policitians speak pious nonsense about development being good for the community, and that is true when you realize community=the interest of the politician.

We moved here from the city 21 years ago, and, like early immigrants to this country, made a sincere effort to fit into our rural community rather than bring pieces of suburbia with us. It worked. Most folks moving into developments expect suburbia in a "peaceful country surrounding", i.e., they want it their way.

This has been my experience. Our school system is overwhelmed (oh yes, most of these developments were given tax abatements of some level), so the burden of funding falls more heavily on those who were already here.

Ahem. (clearing throat, stepping down from soapbox). Ok, I have composed myself. The following is my press release. "I consider develpoment in rural areas to be a pressing issue worthy of considerable further study. Until such time as we are able to document and predict the full impact of such on existing eco-systems, it would be prudent to curtail all such projects lest we cause irreparable damage to the fabric of rural America.....the last vestige of true American culture."

 

[MossRoad]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

<font color="blue"> DEVELOPEMENT'S GOOD OR BAD ??? </font>

Depends is you are the developer, the future homebuyer, or the neighbor to the development. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Everybody has to live somewhere. As long as it is not next door to me, that is fine. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[JoeR]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

Sadly, it is a no win situation. If a town is not growing, it is failing. The rate of growth is best when very slow. Managing growth is a trick, and most local politicians are nothing more than real estate people. So, they want growth.

If you are a city, then you like zero lot line houses since you don't have to run long distances of sewer, water, and power. The city tax planners like them too, since you get lots of tax base in small area.

Problem is that the taxes collected will not keep up with the school, hospital needs, libraries, police, fire, and road impact.

A county would be smart to keep as rural as possible since undeveloped land generates tax revenue and does not require all the support. The alternative would be doing minimum lots size like 5 acres to keep the density down.

Personally, I dislike development, but it has been good for my property values. It takes me longer to get to work, taxes have gone up along with my home value. I have seen homes in my area go from 140K in 2000 to 500K in 2006. I personally, can't afford to move since I would never be able to pay the taxes on 400K+ house. I am watching beautiful farm land turn into zero lot line developments. They are building a 5,000 home community near me, and now the city wants to incorporate my area along with that development. I moved to the country to NOT BE IN A CITY! I don't care about public water, sewer, or cable.

Next time you vote, make sure you find someone who will control growth.

Joe

 

[slowrev]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

Agreed Mossroad /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[BobRip]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

I think the problem is too many humans who want to much space and too much stuff. Builders will not build if nobody is there to buy. Some countries are trying to limit population. Someday we may have too. When there is too much of anything it looses value. Let's not make people worth less.
On the other hand, who will make the products I will need when I retire if there are no young people. Having money does no good if there are no workers to make products.

Bob Rip

 

[WhyNot]

Re: DEVELOPEMENT\'S GOOD OR BAD ???

Glad I'm not alone Dubba you said everything I was thinking. That is why I would never become an elected official. Where do these people get their info from that think development's are good? I think it's more of a keeping up with the Jones's deal but with town's.