Another estate fights for its rights

Even one instance of bureaucratic abuse is too much, but a pattern of regulations run amok have robbed families of their life estates.  Another family is now in jeopardy of losing their fortunes to a public policy that covets private land and demands that it be preserved at the owners' expense.

The Sensitive Lands regulations have been tabled as part of the Comprehensive Plan until the Council examines them in detail. Until then, the Council ruled that there would be no new sensitive lands added, and there would be no new mapping of sensitive lands.  Click here for map of SE Quadrant.

At the City Council meeting on March 4, Bob Thompson, of the Lake Oswego Stewards, told the Council of a family that is dealing with the Planning Dept. over an enlarged Sensitive Lands boundary that went from a tiny corner of the property to cover 80% of the 1.55 acres.  Upon the patriarch's death, the family is now facing the devaluation of the property that is their inheritance.  

Watch the video clip of the council meeting to get the full story.  Open up the Interactive Agenda and click on the agenda item you are interested in:
No. 7 Citizen Comment.

What would you do if this were your property and your family?

Does anyone wonder why people tend to cut valuable trees down on their property in advance of tightening regulations?  It isn't because they hate trees, it's because they know that government will be involved in their PRIVATE property.

The injustice cuts deeper when there is no scientific criteria for what animals the tree grove habitats are for and what the habitats should be like to justify the regulation (taking).  What are we doing with someone else's land?

If the public wants to control land, it ought to be willing to purchase the land.  Just like everyone else.