On Living in Chatham County: What's Its Future? Pros & Cons of Population Growth

[randy]

I am a transplant, but do not want to bring the life I had in Ca with me, no way.  Very thankful for my little 3 acres of paradise and a cute little home and great neighbors.  The 3 acres deal was done near my town I grew up in Tonganoxie, Ks all rural.  When the first house development came in and built 200 home development, the locals seen what was coming and got the town board to make a 3 acre house lot and it worked, remains somewhat rural, but by know means elete.  The downtown is about the size of downtown Pittsboro, no walmarts and a local hardwarw store remains in bussiness.  No one minds driving 10 miles out of town on occasions.

[VAHeel]

sounds lovely.  I think putting a minimum on lots throughout the county is a bad idea, I guess it reminds me too much of restrictive covenants and HOA's, but on a larger scale.  I wouldn't mind it on a smaller scale version, perhaps voted on by locality (bear creek, bynum, moncure, etc.)

[natvrabit]

Va, the new 3-5-10 tracts are a PRODUCT of the elite and McMansions to be on it, not because of watershed protections or due to anyone that has lived here any length of time.  Lordy, I am glad for my little piece of the earth, before the boom came as I could not afford it now..now, my question is can I retain it as property values, taxes rise?  I am am certain they hope I can't someday (NIMBY), so they can bulldoze over me. Do I want to live in one of their alternative forces due to...NOT!

[Claude Bowles]

If the elite mini-mansions are the reasons for the minimum acre lot requirements, why is that Cary, Apex and others are building these 4000 to 5000 square foot monstrosities on 1/4-acre lots. I think it's the developers who want to maximize their profits and go for the smaller lots while trying to appeal to the folks who can afford the high-end housing.

[belle]

If the elite mini-mansions are the reasons for the minimum acre lot requirements, why is that Cary, Apex and others are building these 4000 to 5000 square foot monstrosities on 1/4-acre lots. I think it's the developers who want to maximize their profits and go for the smaller lots while trying to appeal to the folks who can afford the high-end housing.

that type of housing is a group that has always been there, I see older versions in old downtowns. not my taste, but there is someone for everything. the planning process is to sort out what is needed, no?

[natvrabit]

I am not too concerned right now with the 2 person household that wanted the 6K sf home on a .3 acre lot that are in foreclosure because they wanted to impress themselves, or someone else. Once the deal is done, that realtor could give a hoot! Brings the heartfelt Chatham neighborhood down IMO!

[randy]

Sorry to keep bring up Ca, but it's a good example of whats to come.  My oldest daughter tells me there is just no more room in southern ca to build, so now they are tearing down single older homes on the same lot and building a 3 home condo to make the most out of the property and keep up with the population and housing.  At least here we still have the chance to do it right, especially with mass transportation and development.  We went to visit some friends in Cary and ran to the grocery store to get some whine.  Every checkout booth had 5-6 people in line and all checkouts were open, mass population has it's downfalls.  I love going to Pittsboro grocery stores, in and out in no time.  Even Pittsboro Loew's Hardware is amazing of how small the check out lines are.  Went to Siler City in the old brick building distract to a furniture store that just sold dinette sets, only few people in there, place was huge and got the best deal on 6 chair table set for $480.00, great deals were there and the place is huge.  I personally reccomemd it.  they got new and refirmished sets.

[VAHeel]

There's a little thing called "highest and best use" for land.  If tearing down a single family home and building three condos fits that description, who am I to judge?

As for running out of room, the ultimate solution to that is a limit on the number of children you can have, not the number of acres you live on.  How would we all feel about that?

[randy]

There's a little thing called "highest and best use" for land.  If tearing down a single family home and building three condos fits that description, who am I to judge?

As for running out of room, the ultimate solution to that is a limit on the number of children you can have, not the number of acres you live on.  How would we all feel about that?

Ask the Chinese, sorry but I known some families that definitely needed to put a cork on it with all there troubling making kids they can't afford to raise or take the time to do it right.  But it may come to that 200 years from now, who knows.  How much did world population grow from last 50 years?  We got to get those anti matter engines and move off this rock someday

[VAHeel]

It's just good for me to get a sense of where you stand.  You think you have the right to tell me how much land I should own AND how many children I am allowed to have.  That really puts things in perspective.

[randy]

It's just good for me to get a sense of where you stand.  You think you have the right to tell me how much land I should own AND how many children I am allowed to have.  That really puts things in perspective.

I didn't tell you to do anything, nor would I try, just giving a opinion.  Have as many kids as you want and go live in a condo

[VAHeel]

some families that definitely needed to put a cork on it

Just saying, it sheds a lot of light on your ideology.

[Gene Galin]

from http://jimbuie.blogs.com/journal/2008/06/chatham-county.html

Update: Thanks to Gene, administrator of the Chatham County Bulletin Board, my little essay above has sparked (so far) more than 25 responses.

A few hostile comments, apparently in reference to buzz words I used that are "hot" locally -- "newcomer"; "upscale grocery store (Whole Foods?)," indicating that I live in the eastern part of the county, expressing a concern for "preserving the semi-rural setting" and avoiding "suburban sprawl"  --  makes me wonder if I've unwittingly stepped into a hornet's nest.  As Julian Sereno pointed out in a well-written piece in the Chatham County Line, "Chatham Is Divided: There's a history to east-west tensions in the county."

[chathamemployee]

county tax will continue to increase at an astronimical rate...

[Charles39]

county tax will continue to increase at an astronimical rate...

I don't see tax rates falling at any level of government, but I would vote for a frog if it could make happen.

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