To the people who want to move to Montana to get away from big cities, people and enjoy "nature". (Billings: to live, horse)

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by mrwumpus

2+ years ago, when I lived in Southern CA, the city happily pocketed 2 million from a developer who took 195 acres of undeveloped land (some of it rare woodland with several endangered species on it), and are now building 930 homes on it along with 10,000sq-ft of commercial space.

Not for the first time.

Remember when Coto de Caza was a wildlife refuge and dog training area, way back in the hills?

Now it's a golf course and wall-to-wall houses.

Farmland is not a replaceable resource. Once you develop the land, you never get it back.

[mrwumpus]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Not for the first time.

Remember when Coto de Caza was a wildlife refuge and dog training area, way back in the hills?

Now it's a golf course and wall-to-wall houses.

Farmland is not a replaceable resource. Once you develop the land, you never get it back.

Yup. I worked at a $2-million house in Coto that had a bathroom so small I could barely close the door and stand in it at the same time.

One of the reasons I moved to MT was knowing I would be somewhere that nature (and humanity) had a fighting chance to do it right. That and I couldn't stand to see the last bit of wild left destroyed.

Ironically one of the last grizzly bears in California was shot not far from here in 1908.

[movinon]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Not for the first time.

Remember when Coto de Caza was a wildlife refuge and dog training area, way back in the hills?

Now it's a golf course and wall-to-wall houses.

Farmland is not a replaceable resource. Once you develop the land, you never get it back.

Yes! And we had to drive through the creek to get there. I used to show horses at the equestrian center back in the early 70's. I probably wouldn't recognize it now.

And yes, Montana is calling my name. My dad's family is still there (been there since the late 1800's) so I wouldn't be a complete fish out of water. The only thing worrying me is the long winters. I'm working on my outlook about that.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by movinon

Yes! And we had to drive through the creek to get there. I used to show horses at the equestrian center back in the early 70's. I probably wouldn't recognize it now.

And yes, Montana is calling my name. My dad's family is still there (been there since the late 1800's) so I wouldn't be a complete fish out of water. The only thing worrying me is the long winters. I'm working on my outlook about that.

Grew up in Great Falls, lived around Bozeman, moved to SoCal and wound up in the desert outside of Lancaster... now back in MT, near Billings. Funny thing, the weather here is overall milder than it was in the high desert. Yeah, it gets colder, and there's WAY more snow, but somehow the cold seems less unpleasant. Could do with a little more sunshine, but hey.

And if the cold really bothers you, get a thyroid workup. Being even a little low can turn "cold" into "bites hard".

[PyroTekRob]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

It's not just ranchers and farmers "selling out". Do some research on Plum Creek and the land they sell to developers. That's just one of them. Don't blame all Montanans for a very few ranchers HAVING to sell because of taxes. Yes, taxes. I know two right now who had no choice. One because of inheritance taxes.
FYI....there are fewer Montanans moving to Cali than Cali folk moving here. Cali was ruined by Californians so they pack up and move to another state so they can ruin that one too.

Hey now, California was ruined by idiots who love to vote to tax themselves and take away their own rights. When I leave this crappy state, I don't want where I end up to be anything like Commifornia. If I had my way I would never see another Starbucks or Hillary/Bernie supporter who needs a safe place because they are so easily offended. I just want a decent house with little land for my horses, be able to hunt and fish, and be left the hell alone. oh, and a somewhat decent and livable job.

[BabyBoomers2]

[quote=PyroTekRob;49661201]Hey now, California was ruined by idiots who love to vote to tax themselves and take away their own rights. When I leave this crappy state, I don't want where I end up to be anything like Commifornia. If I had my way I would never see another Starbucks or Hillary/Bernie supporter who needs a safe place because they are so easily offended. I just want a decent house with little land for my horses, be able to hunt and fish, and be left the hell alone. oh, and a somewhat decent and livable job.[/QUOTE

Even though we want somewhat of a different area than you want, I totally understand what you want. When we move out of northeastern Florida, in a year or so, and try to get back to some kind of “Western” style that we had in Colorado for 7 1/2 years, we will be much more content. We will both be in ou early 70’s by then, retired and ready for, what we hope to be “the good life” in either northern Colorado, Wyoming or perhaps even Montana.

Anyway, Good Luck to you!

[mjstef]

Originally Posted by PyroTekRob

Hey now, California was ruined by idiots who love to vote to tax themselves and take away their own rights. When I leave this crappy state, I don't want where I end up to be anything like Commifornia. If I had my way I would never see another Starbucks or Hillary/Bernie supporter who needs a safe place because they are so easily offended. I just want a decent house with little land for my horses, be able to hunt and fish, and be left the hell alone. oh, and a somewhat decent and livable job.

LOL! You'll find Montana known by many as "Little California" Theirs a damn coffee shop on every corner anymore and Bernie stickers and Prius's are pretty common anymore.....

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by mjstef

LOL! You'll find Montana known by many as "Little California" Theirs a damn coffee shop on every corner anymore and Bernie stickers and Prius's are pretty common anymore.....

Only in the pretty places. Go to eastern Montana and you won't see nearly as much of this.

[Shuffler]

Seems every other person who's come through the tractor shop lately is either moving here or came here from - you guessed it - California.

It's pretty evident that it's turning into a place where people retire to, or have 2nd homes, after having made all their money elsewhere ... at least that's the trend in the Flathead Valley. Most local folks with average jobs can't afford the real estate.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by NDak15

Only in the pretty places. Go to eastern Montana and you won't see nearly as much of this.

Really all you need is to get 10-20 miles away from places (in Western Montana) like Aspenfish (Whitefish) or Kalispell and certainly stay away from Mizoo to avoid the latte sipping Prius driving crowd...