It has been asked for years now... "What is this world coming to?"

This evening there was a story on the news about a guy who has lived in his RURAL home on his own property, zoned agricultural, for more than 20 years. He has a wood-cutting business, cutting and selling firewood. He does not grow the trees from which this wood is cut, but has been doing this for about 10 years. Recently, new subdivisions have begun nearing his property... and people have started complaining about the noise. The guy has apparently been found in violation of a number of zoning regulations, including that he, God forbid, put a sign out on his property to sell the wood.

Some neighbors, I'm not sure whether they are new or old neighbors, said that the noise is no more than many lawnmowers makes. The worry, apparently, is that the noise, the signs and the traffic caused by the business MAY lower property values of this new subdivision. He has had to file suit, paying lawyers and court costs and other expenses, to protect his own rights.

Now, the guy has used this business to make enough money to pay his property taxes each year, and until the new subdivision came in, had had no complaints (at least none mentioned in the newscast) from anyone... about the noise or the signs or the traffic. Apparently, it seems to me, no one told the people moving into these new homes - that probably are valued at WELL over $100,000, as are most of the homes in the new subdivisions in the Indianapolis area, as far as at least the next county out from Marion, including Hendricks, Boone, Clinton, Hamilton, etc. - that this business was there and there was a probability that there would be noise and traffic because of it. (Isn't that part of "disclosure"? ...kind of like the requirement that realtors and home sellers tell prospective buyers about deaths, murders, drug selling, etc. that occurred in the house and/or neighborhood at which they are looking to buy?)

This kind of reminds me of a story a few years ago about a new subdivision of people complaining about the smells from a pig farm, that had been on that property for years. ... Or a new subdivision of people complaining about a poultry farm or the auto junkyard, or the recycling plant, or the ... you get the idea. This is not "NIMBY" ("Not In MY Back Yard") If that were the case, these long-standing businesses could have "NIMBY"ed the subdivision. They may have tried. I don't know. Either way, the subdivision was built.

I understand that with progress comes expansion. I understand that new prosperity means new construction and new areas being taken over for housing. But where are those people going to get their KFC? ... their bacon and ham and eggs? ... their milk and steaks? ... the inexpensive used parts for their cars? ... the firewood for their fancy new fireplaces? ... their vegetables, fruits, other meat, etc.? And what will happen to the revenues that would normally have been received through taxes from these sources? These products and businesses will have to be gotten from (and the revenues from them go to) some other state, if we keep moving the farmers and these businesses out of their long-standing properties.

I have been doing genealogy for the past year or two, and have found that most of my ancestors came to Indiana when it was huge forests of trees, wild animals, pristine streams, etc. Most of them "cleared the land" and made it farmland (read "agricultural use" in the current zoning parlance.) This includes Marion County, which now has precious little "green space"; And even now and at that small amount, it seems to be too much for an "urban area". Yes... There were farms on Meridian Street. And trees. And wild animals. All of which now seem to be "nuisances". (Tree drop a limb or too many leaves in your yard? CUT IT DOWN! Possum or raccoon get in the garage? CALL AN EXTERMINATOR! Stinky farm or stock-raiser next door? ZONE IT OUT OF EXISTENCE - and not by the owner's decision.... WE KNOW BETTER! GEEZE!) It used to be "Buyer Beware". Now it's something else, entirely.

I want to know HOW it is the guy's fault (remember the guy with the wood-cutting business?) that somebody put a subdivision next to his property? ... That people were sold these brand-new homes without them knowing (I am assuming, at this point) that this business existed? ... That they are allowed (if they were told... even if they WEREN'T) to "run this guy out of business"? ... That a zoning board who has allowed this man to run this business for years are now trying to put him out of business for doing the same things he has been doing for all or most of those years?

And WHY are we willing to bankrupt a man, possibly paying for his family to go on welfare, when he has a business that has been around for years and allows him to pay their taxes, provide for his family, and keep his own property?

Is "progress" really worth it? If it is, is this the kind of "progress" we really want?

by Bill Sanders © July 22, 2004 - email:
 

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