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Comments, possibly informed.

Tim Wilson
Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
timatollah@mackandtim.net
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Mark Lane Forgets that The History of America is The History of Real Estate Development

Here.

I'm both sympathetic to his point of view and completely cynical that much can be done to stop the developments in question. In the most recent local elections, the developers' candidate beat the more slow-growth candidate for the county-wide at large seat. That means it's going to be difficult to stop anything, at least for the next few years, because the county commissioners -- or whatever they're called here (I'm just semi-native) -- can use the defeat of Big John (yes, he changed his name so that that's really his name now, and, yes, I voted for Big John) to hide behind every one of these pro-development votes they take.

I'm also not just cynical, but trying to avoid the "I just moved here, development must stop now" mentality, which lots of non-natives have. Trying, not always successfully.

Also, we moved here a few years ago from Memphis, Tennessee, where you can literally see the development in concentric circles around downtown. Midtown = Roaring Twenties; East Memphis = Post WWII / Sixties; Cordova = Reagan Eighties. And, the local history always reminds us that Memphis and Shelby County began as a real-estate development by Andrew Jackson, John Overton, and [blanking on name] Shelby.

Mack and I are headed out here in a few to ride The Loop. Back later, hopefully with photos. Lane's got a beautiful pic up with his post.


posted by Tim Wilson at 1:09 PM