They have pissed off the wrong earth mother!
All,
I need help with something, so I'm turning to everyone on this list because I know how many of us feel about these issues. I live nestled in the valley between Monte Sano and Chapman mountains. All the land next to me is owned by one man, who has decided to develop it. All of it. 420 acres. They are planning to cut down all the woods and put up yet another tract of paperboard McMansions. Uncounted numbers of wildlife live in these woods; deer, birds, squirrels -including several species of raptors on the federal protection list. This is an old growth forest they are planning to cut down to make way for this new monstrosity.
I need help with something, so I'm turning to everyone on this list because I know how many of us feel about these issues. I live nestled in the valley between Monte Sano and Chapman mountains. All the land next to me is owned by one man, who has decided to develop it. All of it. 420 acres. They are planning to cut down all the woods and put up yet another tract of paperboard McMansions. Uncounted numbers of wildlife live in these woods; deer, birds, squirrels -including several species of raptors on the federal protection list. This is an old growth forest they are planning to cut down to make way for this new monstrosity.
Naturally, I am going to do everything possible to stop it. They've all ready drawn up the plans and the city planning commission meets tomorrow to approve it. (Typically I just got the letter today. The meeting is at 5:00 pm in the Council Chambers on the first floor of the Municipal Building at 308 Fountain Circle. Public comments will be taken. I intend to be there of course, and I could really, really use some support on this. If you care about our local environment, please, please PLEASE come to this. If you can't come, please call and leave your comments, 256-427-5100. Michael Webb and Marie Bostick are the two commissioners in charge of approving this. Terry Properties is the developer. I am also going to start a petition to stop the subdivision. If you want to sign it contact me. I'll come to you if necessary. Email me, or call. I am also open to suggestions on other things I can do to help prevent this. I am going to call a lawyer I know later today. I am not going to let this happen if there is anything I can possibly do to stop it. I may lose the fight, but I have to stand up. They have angered the wrong tree hugging earth mother!
-Rebecca
-Rebecca
"The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it." -David Orr, Ecologocial Literacy
"Americans spend more on trash bags than 90 of the world's 210 countries spend on EVERYTHING. Kind of makes you think, doesn't it?" -Me
"The largest one hundred corporations have incomes greater than half the member countries of the U.N." -Betsy Taylor, Center for a New American Dream.
"The Art of Anything Lies in the Details"-Unkown
posted by RAS at 12/18/2006 12:13:00 PM
4 Comments:
Glad you turned us on to your site. Been reading your various posts. Cool.
Nice site, ras(tafarian)! I just called the number to object to the clear cutting, but no one answered. I'll keep trying. Good luck!
Here is the one reply I've gotten from my alert so far. I've withheld the name of the person for confidentiality reasons, but keep in mind that this is from an "environmentalist" who thinks recycling will save the world, drives an SUV (though it is a hybrid) and lives in a house that 4,000 square feet plus.
I work sometimes with Marie Bostic, she is not a commissioner but works for the city planning and zoning.
Marie is not necessarily pro development and is a wealth of information.
The problem is this; the land has a current value in the range of 6,750,000.
The land owner pays tax on the appraised value. If there are truly threatened and endangered (T&E)species on the land that is something that might help slow or limit development. The slope ordinance will also have lots of regulations...Marie was very instrumental in the development of this ordinance.
Don't battle Marie, use her to get correct information.
Find out if there IS a T&E species status on the land.
Plans NEVER get approved in one meeting so don't panic about this meeting.
But be realistic; if the land trust can not come near the $6 million amount what could entice the developer to walk away and just keep paying taxes on the land?
What is the land trust's position on this land?
That is who I would ask.
They would know the status of T&E species.
Believe it or not, the City of Huntsville has lots of rules and regs for a developer to meet before a permit is issued.
Call the Planning Department and talk to Marie (427-5100) to get a list of requirements.
If the landowner has met all the requirements there is nothing to prevent the sale of that parcel to a developer.
I feel just as threatened as you about loosing our green space.
40,000 new jobs are expected in Huntsville in the next 5 years because of the BRACK realignment.
Where do these people go?
What will happen to our population when another ice cap melts and sea level rises a few feet?
All those Florida and east coast people will move to higher ground.
Where will we put them?
How do we protect our remaining natural resources?
These are huge questions and the answers will only come from working WITH our municipal governments to strengthen development rules that support more green space.
But how do you tell a landowner that she/he can't sell their land for 6 million?
How do you do that?
We either have a government that seizes all private land or we as a community develop strict standards for our natural resources.
A person in the village suggests one of two things,burn the acres now or wait until the McDonald monstrosities are built then do it, either way the land will reclaim its self and the brain dead fucks that think that they have a right to kill mother earth are dead and gone.
mf
Post a Comment
<< Home