No Black Helicopters - Just Ugly Reality

Lest anyone think I am imagining black helicopters when I talk about Central Planners, please read the Letter to the Editor in today's the Wall Street Journal below.  Planning dictates that come from the state, Metro and the city have their genesis somewhere else.  But the need to fight New Urbanism and Smart Growth is not a lost cause - it is just difficult.  And imperative.  

From the Wall Street Journal: October 24, 2013, pg. A-16

LETTERS

'Smart Growth,' Housing and New Federal Mandates

Texas largely avoided the housing price meltdown, but so did Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and other bastions of "smart growth."

The state of Florida may have repealed its smart-growth law, but HUD, the DOT and the EPA have jointly funded regional planning in 45 regions throughout the country through their Sustainable Communities Initiative, bypassing state legislatures.

For the sake of reducing climate change and increasing prosperity, unelected regional planning consultants are recommending zoning and land-use restrictions, mass-transit buildup, increased subsidized housing (see Westchester County, N.Y.) and expanded bike and walking paths. What's really at play here is the planning concept of New Urbanism and Regionalism—restrict housing to urban centers, but if people still leave, tax them in the outlying counties to pay for your green, urban lifestyle.

Mr. Cox should review the Seven50 Plan for a "ladder of transit villages" running up the coast of southeast Florida from Miami to Vero Beach, following a commuter train and feeder bus lines. Urban Transit Boundaries (every U.S. county must have them) stop land development, while the less congested counties are targeted for more HUD housing, train stops and tax revenues. In the name of stopping the rising tides and job creation, the citizens of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties must reduce their lifestyle expectations, start riding bikes and pay more taxes to support the region. Tallahassee isn't wearing the dunce hat. Washington, D.C., is.

Susan Mehiel

Vero Beach, Fla.