If you'd like to see and or participate in a massive protest, come to the GOB this morning and watch your local Farmers and Business Owners take over Downtown Salisbury.
The protest will start at 9:00 AM. There will be Tractors everywhere as well as business equipment. The Farmers are letting the County Council know LOUD AND CLEAR, they're not taking it any more. This is OUR land and you're NOT going to tell us what we can and can't do with it any more.
OPPOSE Bill 2009-5
It provides NO just compensation to landowners!
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Just listened to Pollitt's prepared speech to the farmers. Very long and vague -- in brief: "I'll think about it."
ReplyDeleteCannon was equally non-committal.
"And I would like to thank the people for supporting me" :/
ReplyDeleteMost of the tractors I saw were wide tired, sod farm tractors. Not your typical corn and soybeans farmer machines. Wasn't it the sod farms that pumped so much irrigation water that 100+ house wells went dry? It seems that the farmers that would benefit the most from increased development are the sod farms and nursery/greenhouses. The only farmers listed on the WCCL website are Bob Holloway (accountant and sod farmer), his son Matt, and A. Kaye Kenney (commercial greenhouse owner).
ReplyDeletehmmmmmm.
Is this really about the farmers?
This whole charade is nothing more than generational warfare. Don't you find it the least bit funny that these farmers, all of whom are retired, are against a bill that protects farmland for future generations? Generations they have paved the way for? This bill is about developers rights and this resistance is coming from special interests on the Western shore. Banks lend according to a farm's ability to produce, not the estimated land value, so that arguement is bunk. Density in Worcester, Kent, and Queen Anne Co. are less than Wicomico and land values are right in line. The rate of development is already out of hand and far beyond State recomendations. They County already can't provide all the services and just look at the budget shortfall. But you want more houses?
ReplyDeleteAg is the #1 business in Wicomico and farms are our #1 commodity, not housing.
If you ask any young farmer they will be for this as it protects thier way of life. Old, retired farmers who want to get rich quick by selling to a developer from out of town, well, sorry but I don't feel your pain. I am proud of the farms we have and want to see them protected for my children and their children.
Keep greedy corporations off our land!
No houses means no jobs Sentzs. I think both can be done with proper thinking.
ReplyDeleteNo houses means no jobs Sentzs. I think both can be done with proper thinking.
ReplyDelete"Our Land"...don't you mean "My Land". Ever think how hard it is to get tractors out on the first good day in several. Two Sentz, you sound like someone who can find the rain clouds on a cloudless day. You're right though, it's definitely a western shore conspiracy... The western shore environmental groups funding this legislation is behind this whole damn thing.
ReplyDeleteYou know its the old farmers who paid off the mortgage on these farms so their kids wouldn't have to. Maybe the young guys should respect their elders....
The issue is compensation. If property rights are going to be taken away from landowners then they must be compensated for their loss. Any private citizen who wants to save the land can purchase all they want at fair market vale and preserve it. They shouldn't be allowed to tell other private landowners what they can and can't do with their own property.
ReplyDeleteNo farms means no food.
ReplyDeleteNot every job is a construction job, obviously. But yes, maybe a compromise can be reached.
"Maybe the young guys should respect their elders...."
ReplyDeleteThe elders that are trying to sell the land out from under them?
"They shouldn't be allowed to tell other private landowners what they can and can't do with their own property."
ReplyDeleteSo where do you live? Do you own property? Where ever it is, there are things you can and cannot do with that property. It's called zoning. Just because I own land, doesn't mean I can do "whatever I want" on it. Should your neighbor be allowed to build a landfill just because he "owns" the land? Of course not. Zoning affects everyone. "Property rights" in the proper, legal sense are sill maintained.
It ain't their's until Daddy gives it to them. Daddy is trying to protect their land rights. Junior better be on board or, Daddy may just donate to someone else....
ReplyDeleteFor once I partialy agree with Two Sentz. However, this would all be about nothing if we had the proper visionaries at planning and zoning.
ReplyDeleteP&Z is responsible for the proper balance of growth verses protecting our countyside. Big money rolls into town, and everyone from the farmer to the Mayor/Executive line up to get a piece of that loot. What ever plan they had goes by the wayside because all of their eyes widen and light up at the sight of big money.
If we had a real plan about our land and preservation, no amount of money could buy it.
Can't argue with that, Mardela.
ReplyDeleteTo two sentz. Yes I own land. And my neighbors can do whatever they want with their land as long as it doesn't deprive me of my rights. You seem to not understand this. That should be a guiding principle of any law. If they want to develop it great, if they want to farm it that is great also. If they want to put in a landfill that might keep others from enjoying their property and that is where the line should be drawn. Zoning shouldn't be used to violate property rights. Property rights will not be maintained if we allow this change to happen. Allowing someone to develop land would not keep me from enjoying my property. In fact I would enjoy it because it may make my property more valuable. I notice that you didn't comment on the compensation issue. Should these people have their property devalued by our politicians without being compensated for their loss? Like I said originally, that is the real issue here. Please ignore this issue and continue your rant.
ReplyDeleteTwo Sentz and Mardela--
ReplyDeleteDo either of you own land that will be affected by this legistation? If not--you dont have a dog in this hunt!
Whether or not I can build 5 houses or 10 houses or subdivide into 5 lots or 10 lots is not a "right" as you claim. Sorry, it's just not.
ReplyDeleteMy family members are farmers that do own land that will be affected. I get a lot of food from them. I own land too, but not a farm. But really it's about protecting the quality of life for EVERYONE in the County, land owner or no, we all have a stake. Of course the realtors and developers will tell you otherwise.
ReplyDeleteLaw changes and zoning changes happen all the time, some with and some without compensation. Just ask the City Public Works Dept every time they change a regulation and enforce it on a builder RETROACTIVELY, do they compensate him for work he already did that is now useless? Hell no! We all know life ain't fair and unless a true compromise can be reached, someone will be getting screwed over. I just hope it's not the young farmers, i.e. the future of the County. IMO, the banks and realtors get paid plenty for not even getting their hands dirty. They are fooling you if you think it is really about YOUR property rights.
As for 12:05, "And my neighbors can do whatever they want with their land as long as it doesn't deprive me of my rights. You seem to not understand this." No, you don't seem to understand that zoning dictates what you can and cannot do on your property. And you didnt address the fact that 1. Growth is already outpacing capacity to sustain it, and 2. our neighboring counties have lower densities and land values have not been affected.
how come ho bo joe did not have his bib overalls on ? or is he dancing in the middle of the corn row with cannon.
ReplyDelete