The way it should be

I live in franklin co. IN. As more and more tree huggers and others move in that want to change the smell of the country our zoning laws have been pushed and shoved all over . A citizens imput committie has been formed and we meet once a week and WE the people are rewitting the zoning codes to protect our land and everyones rights with everyone in the county invited and there voices heard and there vote is counted . This is the way it should be done , the elected few should not make all the rules we live by . Before each meeting starts we also pray and say the pledge to the flag !

Absolutely right, this is the way it should be. Sounds like a very commendable project. Maybe this will spread across the land. rw

Guess I wouldn't be too vocal about praying and pledging to the flag- the last thing you need is to get the ACLU's attention, and get all their free lawyers descending on you like locusts. But good for you, if you can pull it off. Here in Washington, we tried the same thing, to stave off the Growth Management Act. Found out that the state bureaucracy was bigger than all of us. Still fighting with them, and I don't think we're gonna win in the long run.

On the subject of political incorrectness, the music program in our local school was about the best in the state (always winning awards, primarily due to the talens of the twin brothers who ran it). They had a Christmas program every year (no, not a "holiday" program, a "Christmas" program). Finale was the chorus, any past chorus members in the audience, and any audience members who knew the song, singing the Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah. Gotta admit I got a little teary, singing between my two sons, on that one. I once asked the chorus director about how we could get away with it, and he said, "Superintendent said go ahead on it, until we get a complaint, then we'll reconnoiter and see what happens." In 20 years, never got a complaint. Something about 100 plus voices singing to God that sort of inspires believers and non-believers alike, I guess.

What the ACLU doesn't know, won't hurt them a bit.

As soon as you get a whiner, things change drastically like the Lion protecting her cubs.

Before each meeting starts we also pray and say the pledge to the flag !

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For better or for worse, as long as the population expands there'll be people spreading out into farmland the same way population spread into the Indian lands in the colonial days, to the detriment of the Indians then and farmers/ranchers now.
You could try for urban growth boundaries, if you could get organized with your Farm Bureau, Granges or whatever, especially now that builders and land developers are under the weather, so to speak.
Being combative just spooks people; you have to take advantage of the things they think, or will seriously consider, that fits your program. Things like pushing farming--homegrown food and commodity supply--as a National Security matter; think like a politician.
You catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar.
And God can probably hear you praying silently in a "Moment of Appreciation" or "Togetherness" or whatever eupheimism you can think of; it's generally more productive to slip around difficulties rather than smash into them head-on.
Best wishes with your efforts.

We had a Christmas parade for years in our town, until a few complained about the word Christmas, and said they will stay home and not attend the parade because of that. So the gutless city council changed the name to the holiday parade. Now I don't go. Stan

As you may have heard, just to the south of you in Dearborn Cty we got rid of one more "pro development" commissioner this election so we should get our land use map approved. We may also see fewer gravel roads paved, which is good since we don't have the maintenance money for the paved roads we do have.

Our county doesn't permit subdivisions on gravel roads, if a developer wants to subdivide on a gravel road he has to pave it. That is why certain commissioners were trying to pave everything in sight, charging the county taxpayers for work the developer would have had to pay for. Hopefully that is at an end.

Farmland Preservation is a effort that Should be Strong in All county Plan Commissions,, We are doing What We can in Harrison Co , In..Go FOR IT !!, Jim

Part of the modern equation isn't just population growth --

It's declining household size.

So we have more houses per 1,000 population then we used, fewer multi-generational or extended families sharing a home (drives me nuts when some of the 'homeless' statistics actually count family members living together...)

While our population is growing, our demand for housing units is growing even faster.

We don't even have zone'n laws. Gotta love it. Developers don't have a chance. Every time the new comers fuss bout the smell of something county goverment tells'm to move. When ever some one wants to pass zone'n laws to up their property value every one tells them to move one county over and pay the high taxes there.

Dave

I have been working on the same thing for almost 3 years now. Funny how so many that are well-educated professionals and public servants do not want farmers around tilling the soil until a food emergency like tainted maters or spinach rears its ugly head. It is like they had rather push things to the limit and set themselves up for potential problems to arise instead doing proper preventative measures that would prohibit potential problems.

Why is it that they move to the country cause they like that way of life and hated the rules and hassles of the big city, then immediately set about trying to turn the country into what they left in the first place!


Gene

The best law we have in Oregon is the "Right to farm law."
When a neighbor complains about something I do I remind them of the law. Sure shuts them up real fast.
Walt

That's all fine and dandy til the tree huggers load up the committee. Locals seem to always take a wait and see attitute and have faith that everything will work out OK. They tend not to last long,loose interest.Extremists on the other hand,hang in there and get their way eventually.