Monday night is your night to shine Wicomico County! At 7:00 PM the County Council will have an open meeting for Citizens to voice their opinion about Bill 2009-5.
Farmers and business people from all over the County had a Tractorcade lase week at the GOB where numerous people showed up to express their disbelief in such a bill, allowing our local Government to tell us what we can do with our properties.
In a nutshell, what many of the County Council Members are trying to do is RAISE YOUR TAXES. You see, how it works, (in terms ALL of you can understand) is as follows. Their biggest concern is what goes on INSIDE the Metro Core. You might say their biggest concern is what goes on outside the Metro Core, so allow me to explain. The more they raise the values within the Metro Core, the higher your property will be assessed, therefore you'll be paying more taxes.
IF they're able to control the outside of the Metro Core by telling Farmers and Investors they can no longer sell their Farms to Developers unless they had one home per 15 acres, this will RAISE the property values INSIDE the Metro Core. Why, how many people do YOU know that want to own a home on 15 acres and care and maintain that much property?
Everyone, (or the majority thereof) will be more interested in the property INSIDE the Metro Core, so their value will go up because of supply and demand. In the mean time, Farmers and current land owners will get screwed for selfish reasons. WE made the investments, NOT the Wicomico County Council!
County Executive Rick Pollitt wants to see a compromise. I say ABSOLUTELY NOT! Find another way to increase taxes by WORKING at it and not USING those of us who have already invested into large parcels of land, only to get screwed by politicians who are desperate to make a buck for themselves or their constituents.
Mind you, I hate to do this but I must. Let's take John Cannon for example. His Family is heavily invested INSIDE the Metro Core. IF they pass this Bill, his Family will stand to make a small fortune over time. I too own valuable property inside the Metro Core. I would stand to make quite a bit of money too. However, I'm absolutely not interested in screwing my friends, (the investors) out of their land to make it back elsewhere. I am also a large parcel property owner that would be screwed if this Bill passes as I have property in Wicomico County that I could subdivide and do extremely well financially in the end. Even though I'm truly not interested in doing so with that land, I still refuse to support this Bill.
So please find your way to the Civic Center Monday evening at 7:00 PM and show your support by saying NO to Bill 2009-5. If you don't show, clearly you don't care either way.
21 comments:
If you compare what Pollitt said at the tractorcade last week with his "State of the County" speech last December, it's pretty clear that he has bailed on the landowners and in favor of the NIMBY's who masquerade as environmental advocates. He can't be counted on to veto any legislation that is passed by the County Council, especially if it is portrayed as being a compromise.
Joe, you are gravely mistaken. Every shred of evidence ever found in any study ever done on the subject finds that taxes will go up if development is allowed to proceed outside the urban core. Why? Because county residents will have to pay for more services such as police, fire, ambulance, schools and busing, road construction and maintenance, etc...
Supporting the bill will keep your taxes lower.
I am a farmer, I own and lease farmland. As far as property rights are concerned, this hammer swings both ways. I hear and understand those who argue for maintaining the value of their land as a property right. I don't know of anyone who wants their land to decrease in value. But, the evidence solidly states that your land will NOT decrease in value. Law of supply and demand states: assuming demand is constant, if supply goes down, value will go UP!!! This notion that land values will decrease with 1 house per 15 acres zoning is total horsecrap. Check out the studies that have been done on this subject, conclusions are that property values will remain high or become higher.
What no one is addressing is the property rights of farmers who are trying to stay financially successful by farming, not selling their land. If my farm becomes completely surrounded by development, and it almost is, my rights as a farmer and land owner are severely compromised. All of the sudden I get complaints about smells, sounds of running tractors late into the night, slowing traffic with my tractors, to much mud on the road, to much dust in the air, my god!!! It becomes hard to maintain good relations with neighbors. Also, the land across the street that now has houses on it, I used to tend that field. If it were zoned properly I could still farm there and people could live there too. I have a right to be a farmer, but I can't be successful with the land being devoured by developers.
Lets be honest, developers are the ones who will suffer because of this bill. What do I say, lay off the rural lands! We have had a good thing going out here in the country so stay within the urban limits where you belong. Our rural heritage and farming as our number one industry need to be protected.
As far as maintaing a fifteen acre lot... if you don't want to then don't do it. There are plenty of spec homes for sale out in the country, lots of them brand new, on small lot sizes, and now because of the economy they're cheap. Or, you might do the smart thing and stay in the urban corridor if you don't want to maintain any land. Or, if don't like maintaining land but you own fifteen acres of it anyway what could you do? Lease it to a farmer!!!
By the way, a few big tractors can take up a lot of space. That tractocade had piss poor farmer turnout. How many farms were represented, 2, maybe 3?
It sounds like this would reduce suburban sprawl, and I really can't argue with that.
Politt is the biggest joke perpetrated on the Taxpayers of Wicomico County since Barrie Tilghman.
Maybe the Planning and Zoning group could learn to say no to developers when schools in the area of the planned development could not hold the kids. Ever think of saying no?
Anonymous said...
It sounds like this would reduce suburban sprawl, and I really can't argue with that.
12:18 PM
Sounds like someone doesn't want anyone else buying the land next to them and building houses. Hey Bozo I have a novel idea. Why don't you by that land and no one will live within hundreds of acres of you. Selfish MORON.
Assuming Demand Is Constant, boy thats a stretch.
11:45 I respect your right as a farmer to keep your land agricultural as long as you want it that way. You can farm your land and no one wants to stop that. I cannot support a bill that extends your rights past the boundries of your property on to anothers. They have a right to do what they want on their land as well. Why should you have a right to tell others what they can do with their land? Would you want them to tell you what to do with yours? Of course not! Neither would I. I will stand tommorrow night and oppose this legislation in the same manner that I would oppose legislation intended to stop you from farming your land. It all comes down to individual rights. You shouldn't be able to force your will on other and they shouldn't be able to force theirs on you. Plain and simple.
Anon 11:45 AM,
Very well stated.
Joe,
Before I start, I want to state that I have absolutely no vested interests in this bill-I live in a townhome on a 1/10 acre lot right smack in the middle of Salisbury with no plans on moving anytime soon. I also have a masters degree in urban planning so I know a little about these issues.
In certain aspects, you are absolutely right. Supply and demand can eventually prevail, but probably not to the extent that you portray-or atleast no time within the next 30 years.
The problem that I have been seeing here for the past 25 years is the developers have been running the show in Wicomico County. WHATEVER they want, they eventually get...And at who's expense? The taxpayers, the local government, the rural character of the County, and even the farmers pay for it. They abused the sh!t out of the flexability of the cluster provisions and they WILL kill the rural character of Wicomico County!
The legislation could be alot worse-We are not talking Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB) here. Look into Portland's UGBs to see how bad this could be! Farmers have a right to their land and a right to do what they want; however, what about the future farmer looking for land to farm? What happens when all of the quality farmland in the county has a hundred homes on it? Then we'll all wish that we had listened.
In all due respect, this shouldn't be about property rights and inflating property values. It should be about recognizing what we have and preserving it. Sprawl has and will continue to take over-look at Pemberton Drive and Nanticoke Road.
In addition, Joe, you don't have to have 15 acre lots to meet the provision. Unless the legislation has changed-If you have a 150 acre piece of land, you may subdivide at 1 lot per 15 acres or 10 times. Those ten lots have to have a 2 acre minimum lot size. The remaining acreage has to be "set aside" inpertuity. So really, the farmer could sell off 20 acres of his land to a developer to make some quick cash and still be able to farm his remaining 130 acres.
If we don't do something to prevent sprawl, I truly think that we will regret it in the future. The metro core is huge with plenty of development potential. I don't see the need to tap into our rural lands and intrude on the farmers.
Is this the right legislation? Possibly not, but our current restrictions are getting abused way too much...something needs to be done.
Ricky needs to go bye bye. vote him OUT next election.
You do anything you want with your land but just leave my land alone.
This issue has nothing to do with farmers property rights. Farmers are allowed to do with their land as they please, farm, or sell.
This bill is about the privelages of the developer. Studies show the land will maintain value, supply and demand say value will increase. This is why the developers are fighting this, they don't want to pay more for the farmers' land! The farmer would win if 1 house per 15 acres is put into place, there are numerous ways. First, his land value increases. Second, it would be easier to farm without close neighbors, and third, it would be easier to lease land. This issue is about competion between two industries, the farming industry, and the development industry. 1per 15 makes the odds in favor of the farmer, while defeating this bill keeps the odds with the developer. Even non-farmers can appreciate that this will protect their food source. Farming keeps land as a renewable resource, development is lands dead end.
730 I agree somethimg off this subject, I have heard he is going to furlough the deputies. The deputies (all law enforcement) are the only thing between the citizens of wicomico county and the criminals I also heard Pollott plans th furlough officers at the jail this is not right they keep all of the criminals behind bars.
Wicomico County - have you been to Long Island, NY lately? How about northern NJ? What is happening to the Delmarva Peninsula is the same thing that happened to LI.
Villages that used to be farming and fishing were slowly eaten up with suburban development. The people who lived there 40 years ago wouldn't recognize it.
Unless we find a way to restrict development on our farmland, we too will not recognize our Eastern Shore in 40 years...some of us don't recognize it now. :-(
Anon 11:45 AM,
You talk a lot of crap there. Where are these so called studies? Prove it? Why didn't you sign your name?
Hey Moron, you're talking out of your a$$ because your lips aren't moving.
PM
Anonymous said...
Wicomico County - have you been to Long Island, NY lately? How about northern NJ? What is happening to the Delmarva Peninsula is the same thing that happened to LI.
Villages that used to be farming and fishing were slowly eaten up with suburban development. The people who lived there 40 years ago wouldn't recognize it.
Unless we find a way to restrict development on our farmland, we too will not recognize our Eastern Shore in 40 years...some of us don't recognize it now. :-(
9:55 PM
Look idiot, growth is innevitable.
"Unless we find a way to restrict development on our farmland"
WTF! It is not YOUR farmland, it belongs to the farmers. Try to tell me what to do with my farmland and you will see me excercise some of my freedoms.
My grandson is the sixth generation to live on my farm. Yes, MY FARM, not your farm or our farm! If you greenies want to preserve farmland--go buy some and
preserve your own land. Leave mine
the hell alone.
I said it before and I will say it again...We have tried the County Executive thing and it has not worked! The start up cost amazing to say the least. Matt Creamer had to be brought back to aid the Council. A lawyer had to be given a full time job.It has cost the taxpayers much more than it has saved. We hear the whining over the tax cap almost daily, Money is being spent on a recreation park that nobody wants and at the same time they complain that they can't pay the bills we have. The County Exec can't even take furlow days.It was a good try but it just doesn't work for Wicomico County. It took a referendum to get it, now it is time foe a referendum to get rid of it.
This is so easy-Instead of downzoning, why hasn't the county council or farmers pushed for urban growth to stay in Salisbury. Fix Crime, fix infrastructure to support city growth- NO TIFs just waive some fees or lower taxes so people will want to live in the city, there is so much wasted space in Salisbury. The state already helps foot the bill for conservation easements, "conservation" zoning is not fair to farmers and re-zoning will devalue the land not to mention, abutts on property rights. As a prospective buyer, I'm not willing to pay the same price for land that can't be built on or used as I would like to use and as a seller, it's hard to sell land that has restrictions and other attachments for the same price as other land. You can't tell me that supply and demand will eventually bring the price up.
1:42 You have the understanding for what will happen to the landowners. Please show up and speak tonight.
I still think the best thing in these economic times is to consolidate and streamline government doing away with all duplications by moving to a county government program and doing away with the city charter and city government.
Almost every year there is a drama queen election, that may be part of the cause of voter apathy, the voter burnout from sicking campaigns like the last city election.
This move would save local taxpayers millions of dollars. Then again why would the county want to take over a city that's $70,000,000 in debt?
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