With all due respect to Bill Kelley's May 24th letter titled “An interpretation of the long letter by Citizens United,” one should put themselves in the landowner's place, when considering the 2016 Comprehensive Plan.
Before 1960 no zoning existed and small farms dominated the rural areas. In 1960 Clark County adopted the first comprehensive plan with a one acre rural zone. In the 1970s and 1980s the county adopted 2.5 acre zoning and larger, with the ability to cluster lots into one to two acre parcels. This still allowed landowners options for their lands and the small rural lots were protected.
But, in 1994, the county threw out those former plans and adopted a highly restrictive plan, with very large lot zoning in all rural and resource lands. There was little or no options for landowners, as they were all taken away by the government, with the stroke of a pen.
The 1994 Plan dictated 20-, 40-, 80- and 160-acre resource zones and 5-, 10- and 20-acre rural zones. The small rural and resource lots continued to be the norm in the county, but now those lots were non-conforming.
The massive financial and personal impact to the landowners was overwhelming. They no longer could sell a little land to increase their neighbors lot or make ends meet. They no longer could sell a little land to a child or relative so they could enjoy the rural life. Assessments of rural and resource lots skyrocketed to such a degree that many could not afford the taxes. No longer could young families have an affordable home on small acreage where they could farm or raise a family. Options for landowners were stolen in 1994, and their land has been static for over 22 years.
Only 17 percent of the 20-acre agriculture zone is 20 acres or more. Only 8 percent of the 40-acre forest zone is 40 acres or more. The majority of those parcels are 5 acres, and have been for decades. This new 2016 comprehensive plan proposes to be even more restrictive, with an "agricultural production district" overlay.
This policy goal is to make landowners recombine their land, or combine their land with other land, to create 100- to 150-acre parcels. All of the taxes paid by landowners, on those small rural and resource lots, will be lost. Never again would they ever be able to sell a small portion of their land, so they can remain living on the land. If a landowner owns two adjacent parcels, they would have to combine them, to get a building permit.
How would you feel, if all of this happened to you?
In the meantime, the 2016 plan will dictate very high density in the cities. Single family homes will be a thing of the past, replaced with apartments and condominiums. The plan states the goal is to have people live within 10 minutes of a grocery store, so they can walk or bike to the store. No new roads will be built, cars will be taken off the roads, and forced transit will be the mode of transportation for all.
In 1994 the goal was to have 80 percent of the people living in the cities and allow 20 percent to live in rural areas. Now, the ratio is 90 percent and 10 percent, even though those numbers do not reflect reality. Currently, 50 percent of the people are living outside the cities.
Such social manipulation of the people is indeed socialism and this plan will indeed control our lives. Our nation is a capitalist nation, and founded on the principle that all people can succeed without government intrusion. Rural people just want fairness and equity. They just want to live on their land in peace and harmony. They just want options again, for their land. Wouldn't you?
