Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
North Carolina is a rapidly changing state. Far from what it was 20 years, even just 10 years ago. Living in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina all my life, ( Denver specifically, ) I have seen small towns surrounded by farms and forest disappear seemingly overnight into Charlotte suburbs. Replaced by nice brick shopping centers and subdivisions. Many people, mainly newcomers, welcome this change.
Personally while I welcome growth, the rate of the growth and the disappearance of old things is discouraging. This is what troubles many locals about newcomers. Not that locals believe newcomers are personaly manning the wrecking ball, but then again...
Roads are not improved upon, and the traffic has become terrible. Any new roads that are added are already outdated. I would like to challenge anyone who has driven thru Mooresville at any time of day, Huntersville, or Hwy 16 at rushour to prove me wrong.
North Carolina still holds to its old traditions and customs in many parts of the state, but they are generally pushed further and further and growth affects virtually all areas of the state.
If you move to North Carolina and decide to locate to Cary, Mooresville, Huntersville, any areas in a 45 mile radius of Charlotte or Raleigh actually, you will be greeted by transplants from all over the country. New shopping box stores and subdivisions, but you will not be greeted by North Carolina - meaning these areas have lost all meaning of what NC truly is or was. The most important thing lost will be its people, by a heavy dilution of the population of transplants and the fact that many just moved away.
Is it a bad thing? Depends on what you are looking for. You cannot deny that NC is the "hot spot" right now to move to. I just hope that it does not completely turn into another Florida...because I would hate to think that the reasons people are moving here in the first place will be the same reasons they leave this state in a few years.
North Carolina is a rapidly changing state. Far from what it was 20 years, even just 10 years ago. Living in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina all my life, ( Denver specifically, ) I have seen small towns surrounded by farms and forest disappear seemingly overnight into Charlotte suburbs. Replaced by nice brick shopping centers and subdivisions. Many people, mainly newcomers, welcome this change.
Personally while I welcome growth, the rate of the growth and the disappearance of old things is discouraging. This is what troubles many locals about newcomers. Not that locals believe newcomers are personaly manning the wrecking ball, but then again...
Roads are not improved upon, and the traffic has become terrible. Any new roads that are added are already outdated. I would like to challenge anyone who has driven thru Mooresville at any time of day, Huntersville, or Hwy 16 at rushour to prove me wrong.
North Carolina still holds to its old traditions and customs in many parts of the state, but they are generally pushed further and further and growth affects virtually all areas of the state.
If you move to North Carolina and decide to locate to Cary, Mooresville, Huntersville, any areas in a 45 mile radius of Charlotte or Raleigh actually, you will be greeted by transplants from all over the country. New shopping box stores and subdivisions, but you will not be greeted by North Carolina - meaning these areas have lost all meaning of what NC truly is or was. The most important thing lost will be its people, by a heavy dilution of the population of transplants and the fact that many just moved away.
Is it a bad thing? Depends on what you are looking for. You cannot deny that NC is the "hot spot" right now to move to. I just hope that it does not completely turn into another Florida...because I would hate to think that the reasons people are moving here in the first place will be the same reasons they leave this state in a few years.
Well the reasons they "come" wouldn't be the same as the reasons why they go... They will go because the reasons they went there for in the first place no longer exist...
If you guys are really committed to keeping it from being destroyed, you can't blame the people moving in. After all, when YOU go somewhere else because THEY ruined it, Wont YOU be RUINING somewhere else just the same?
Point your anger at zoning, city planning, or maybe even the OLD farmers who sold off their land in the first place to the developers. If the city didn't allow so many dang builders in ALL at the same time the prices would rise due to limited availability... Higher prices will also help to *slow* growth and as a side benefit the city could actually THINK about how to address the growth... instead of just growing wild & unbridled and then trying to think about how to "fix" it later?
Does anyone know why there isn't such control measure in effect? Or how you can implement such a thing? How can builders just be allowed to move to the next hot spot in HOARDES, destroy it and leave?
Thats the real culprit... You can't blame the buyers... When things get out of control and you are able to sell your home and move someplace cheaper and have the life back that you miss, you would do it in a heartbeat, only to the horror of the original residents of that new place...
Considering the population of the planet will always be growing, you can't stop development, but you can definitely address it smarter than just *cashing in* as quick as they can built... What the heck is the hurry????
if i were you i would embrace the newcomers, those who purchased new homes and now pay taxes. NC natives need to worry about all the illegals who add nothing to the area and drain it through medical, court and social services.
I fled a place that had changed beyond recognition with no input from the locals. As I have posted before I understand the concern of native North Carolinians & do hope that growth here is controlled. In my area by the time we realized what "progress" would look like it was too late.
BTW I am from the home of small mom & pop stores- the big box chains are a blight in NC, and NY too, don't think we all welcomed them... this is an issue all over the country, really. This is not a phenomenon that can be pinned on transplants.
If the city didn't allow so many dang builders in ALL at the same time the prices would rise due to limited availability... Higher prices will also help to *slow* growth and as a side benefit the city could actually THINK about how to address the growth... instead of just growing wild & unbridled and then trying to think about how to "fix" it later?
Fortunately, a few cities and counties, here and there, have wised up to this.
Carrboro and Chapel Hill are two good examples. Although I think they've done it just as much for environmental reasons as for controlling growth. (Either way, it's a good thing!)
It's worked relatively well...rampant suburban sprawl hasn't hit them like most of the rest of the Triangle (or the areas around Charlotte). It's been a more gradual, steady growth, allowing infrastructure (roads, schools, etc) to "catch up" better.
True, a negative side affect is the rising prices causing lack of affordable housing. But I think they're beginning to try to address that too with regulations requiring a certain percentage of new homes being affordable. (Developers obviously don't care for that, but too bad, I don't have sympathy for millionaires.) I certainly hope it works....good luck to them!
Now, if only more municipalities in this state would learn from them.
Some are realizing what they need to do, I live in western N.C., Ashevile area and the area is growing too fast. Part of the problem here I believe is to bring industry in at low or no tax rate for a period of time, yet this also has many drawbacks from so many residences being built also. From my back yard I used to have a great view of a untouched mountainside, yet over the past 2-3 years it has become condos and million dollar houses. The bad part of that is the developers strip most of the trees while building there, grated they replant but what is replanted can't replace trees 75-100 years old that adorned the mountainside. We as concerned citizens in whatever state/city need to get a balance on what goes on and elect officals that do the same. Development is going to happen, but how it is done and the impact or I should say the less impact it has on our enviroment is what needs to be first priorty. I we;lcome thos who come to these mountains I love, and the revenue they bring, but the raping of the mountains cannot be tolerated.
This applies not only here but all across the USA from the beaches, flatlands, to the highest mountains. Influx of industry and people is good as long as it is controlled, otherwise what changes I have already seen happening will destroy the beauty of the area I love to call home. I am glad to say much is being debated on development here to try to preserve things here, yet so much has already been done that wasn't. We develop names for people such as "tree huggers" and "industrialist" and "darn developers", I think I can see all coming together because I can be one of all of them. I can appreciate "tree huggers" because I have seen many trees I loved and even carved initials in gone now, "industrialist" bring dollars and jobs to the area, "darn developers" well I get work that way, but the key here is for all to do this with the the least impact to the area as it is or was. This can be done, I am seeing more and more "green costruction" and concern for not clear cutting to build. This comes at a price and increases the cost of building both residential and commercial buildings. As I see it affordable housing should be where it is feasible to do, and require addition of trees to be planted, and in devolpments of higher priced housing that if you build a million dollar+ house that you be responsible and spend the extra dollars to protect this area that you choose to live in for those who will be here when you are gone.
Just a opinion of a blue collar in N.C. that cares for these mountains
I really appreciated reading your posting. I hope many people read it and think twice before removing the trees. I just bought property in Winston-Salem, and when I looked at houses, the new ones looked very nice but it draw me back that they removed all the trees to build the house. So I opted for one in an old neighborhood full of stron oak trees. Of course I paid more, but I also thinks is a better investment!
Thank you again for your posting
QUOTE=l8rsooner;205507]Some are realizing what they need to do, I live in western N.C., Ashevile area and the area is growing too fast. Part of the problem here I believe is to bring industry in at low or no tax rate for a period of time, yet this also has many drawbacks from so many residences being built also. From my back yard I used to have a great view of a untouched mountainside, yet over the past 2-3 years it has become condos and million dollar houses. The bad part of that is the developers strip most of the trees while building there, grated they replant but what is replanted can't replace trees 75-100 years old that adorned the mountainside. We as concerned citizens in whatever state/city need to get a balance on what goes on and elect officals that do the same. Development is going to happen, but how it is done and the impact or I should say the less impact it has on our enviroment is what needs to be first priorty. I we;lcome thos who come to these mountains I love, and the revenue they bring, but the raping of the mountains cannot be tolerated.
This applies not only here but all across the USA from the beaches, flatlands, to the highest mountains. Influx of industry and people is good as long as it is controlled, otherwise what changes I have already seen happening will destroy the beauty of the area I love to call home. I am glad to say much is being debated on development here to try to preserve things here, yet so much has already been done that wasn't. We develop names for people such as "tree huggers" and "industrialist" and "darn developers", I think I can see all coming together because I can be one of all of them. I can appreciate "tree huggers" because I have seen many trees I loved and even carved initials in gone now, "industrialist" bring dollars and jobs to the area, "darn developers" well I get work that way, but the key here is for all to do this with the the least impact to the area as it is or was. This can be done, I am seeing more and more "green costruction" and concern for not clear cutting to build. This comes at a price and increases the cost of building both residential and commercial buildings. As I see it affordable housing should be where it is feasible to do, and require addition of trees to be planted, and in devolpments of higher priced housing that if you build a million dollar+ house that you be responsible and spend the extra dollars to protect this area that you choose to live in for those who will be here when you are gone.
Just a opinion of a blue collar in N.C. that cares for these mountains[/quote]
I think the reason most people at the lake complain about the transplants if the dilution of the culture. I lived there for 12 years before moving away, and I can say that it went from a collection of polite friendly towns to a place where everyone gripes and complains all the time, constantly laying on horns and generally being hateful to their neighbors. And while I don't attribute this to all transplants, I could not help but notice that the surly demeanor and constant complaining was fairly localized to those transplants from Long Island. I was made fun of for having a southern accent often while there. Well guess what, I'm from Charlotte and it's still IN the south so get over it. New Yorkers have a reputation for being arrogant, pushy and know it alls, and my time at the lake made me come to really resent them for their behavior and nasty attitudes. I'm now happily in western NC where the folks who move in at least try to assimilate. NC is a welcoming state if you make a little effort but I think the problem these folks fave is that the only reason they seem to have moved here is because it's cheaper than NY. Well lots of places are cheaper than New York. Find a place you'll be happy instead of miving somewhere and bitching about any and everything ad nauseum. That's why transplants are not liked around Charlotte.
...And while I don't attribute this to all transplants, I could not help but notice that the surly demeanor and constant complaining was fairly localized to those transplants from Long Island. "...New Yorkers have a reputation for being arrogant, pushy and know it alls,
(There are a handful of folks from Long Island who left the Island to escape the attitudes you mentioned)
if i were you i would embrace the newcomers, those who purchased new homes and now pay taxes. NC natives need to worry about all the illegals who add nothing to the area and drain it through medical, court and social services.
Not only illegals, we have plenty of natives that are pretty good at draining our taxes as well.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
newcomers
Thank you for wise words!
