I attended the Ravalli County Fair Parade this year for the first time with my young daughter. Watching a parade with your child definitely puts the annual spectacle in a different light. The same ol’ thing takes on new life when you witness the excitement in her eyes as she points out the balloons, horses, costumed people, floats, and yummy candy being handed out by generous strangers. She grips a little tighter in response to the blaring horns from the emergency response vehicles and cuts loose on the concrete doing her best imitation of the county cloggers. You feel her excitement and it brings a smile to your face.
Then it fades at the sight of the local politicians working the rope lines. But it isn’t the people themselves that suck all the fun out of the air, it’s the message some of them carry and the conversations I overhear coming from my neighbors on either side. You’ve seen the signs I’m talking about, any resident of the valley has viewed them before – “Vote No on Zoning” or “No Streamside Setbacks” – messages associated with the local chapter of the GOP. An older gent to my right in a cowboy hat and sporting a black T with the initials NRA emblazoned on his chest leans over to what must be his grandkids and says, “Now, these are the good guys,” pointing to the local Republican candidates as they stroll past. Brainwashing the next generation starts early, I guess.
The number one issue facing Ravalli County is how to deal with growth. It’s a well understood and widely accepted problem because Ravalli is one of the fastest growing counties in Montana. Three Democrat commissioners even road a message of “responsible land use regulations” to power in the elections of 2007. I thought it was well understood that they were talking about zoning. Now, two years later, county-wide zoning (the dirty “z”-word), something that is not even in place yet, is facing a vote for its survival. Two years worth of work may be for not because a vocal group has uttered a simple response – “You can’t tell me what to do with my land!” It stinks of a few wealthy, land-rich individuals who have motivated contractors, builders, realtors, and the anti-establishment crowd, people who are easily persuaded, to join ranks against common sense.
Now, I’m an equal opportunity person. I’m willing to listen to opinions or ideas that I may not agree with as long as they are based in fact and solid reasoning. But unfortunately, the “Vote No on Zoning” and “No Streamside Setbacks” crowd don’t believe they have to be held up to the same standards. You can compare them to children. A child my not understand it, but “No… Because I don’t want to!” is not a good enough reason to get out of responsibility. If they don’t like the options presented to them, the anti-zoning group should suggest other options to address the valley’s growing pains. “No!” is not an option.
Zoning is necessary not to curb growth, but to control what type and where development occurs. It is important to protect the distinct communities already present in the valley and to allow time to continually upgrade and extend infrastructure to new residents. Mega-developments as large as a small town, miles outside city limits, are not examples of responsible growth.
Streamside setbacks are important to maintain the life-blood of our valley. Setbacks allow a freedom of movement for the Bitterroot River and its tributaries, something that is restricted if a land owner builds his mega-mansion a foot from the riverbank. This kind of development leads to streambank stabilization projects, such as rip-rap, and permanently throws off kilter the native ecology of the river. The person who does this is pointing a big middle finger in the air and saying screw my neighbor and screw Mother Nature.
Then it fades at the sight of the local politicians working the rope lines. But it isn’t the people themselves that suck all the fun out of the air, it’s the message some of them carry and the conversations I overhear coming from my neighbors on either side. You’ve seen the signs I’m talking about, any resident of the valley has viewed them before – “Vote No on Zoning” or “No Streamside Setbacks” – messages associated with the local chapter of the GOP. An older gent to my right in a cowboy hat and sporting a black T with the initials NRA emblazoned on his chest leans over to what must be his grandkids and says, “Now, these are the good guys,” pointing to the local Republican candidates as they stroll past. Brainwashing the next generation starts early, I guess.
The number one issue facing Ravalli County is how to deal with growth. It’s a well understood and widely accepted problem because Ravalli is one of the fastest growing counties in Montana. Three Democrat commissioners even road a message of “responsible land use regulations” to power in the elections of 2007. I thought it was well understood that they were talking about zoning. Now, two years later, county-wide zoning (the dirty “z”-word), something that is not even in place yet, is facing a vote for its survival. Two years worth of work may be for not because a vocal group has uttered a simple response – “You can’t tell me what to do with my land!” It stinks of a few wealthy, land-rich individuals who have motivated contractors, builders, realtors, and the anti-establishment crowd, people who are easily persuaded, to join ranks against common sense.
Now, I’m an equal opportunity person. I’m willing to listen to opinions or ideas that I may not agree with as long as they are based in fact and solid reasoning. But unfortunately, the “Vote No on Zoning” and “No Streamside Setbacks” crowd don’t believe they have to be held up to the same standards. You can compare them to children. A child my not understand it, but “No… Because I don’t want to!” is not a good enough reason to get out of responsibility. If they don’t like the options presented to them, the anti-zoning group should suggest other options to address the valley’s growing pains. “No!” is not an option.
Zoning is necessary not to curb growth, but to control what type and where development occurs. It is important to protect the distinct communities already present in the valley and to allow time to continually upgrade and extend infrastructure to new residents. Mega-developments as large as a small town, miles outside city limits, are not examples of responsible growth.
Streamside setbacks are important to maintain the life-blood of our valley. Setbacks allow a freedom of movement for the Bitterroot River and its tributaries, something that is restricted if a land owner builds his mega-mansion a foot from the riverbank. This kind of development leads to streambank stabilization projects, such as rip-rap, and permanently throws off kilter the native ecology of the river. The person who does this is pointing a big middle finger in the air and saying screw my neighbor and screw Mother Nature.
So to those who oppose responsible land use regulations, I suggest you come up with some smart alternatives and contribute constructively to the process because I don’t want a view of the 'Root from on top of a mountain to be a sea of lights from Missoula to Sula, from the Bitterroots to the Sapphire Mountains. “No!” is simply not good enough.
2 comments:
Sounds like the parade was a good time for all. Wish I could have danced a few steps with you both.
Regarding the little boys you mentioned...hopefully once they're old enough to form their own opinion they'll gain or more balanced view of the world. Here's hopin'.
I would have liked to hear more about the parade fun...
Post a Comment