What do my people here on City-Data think about trying to preserve Rural living? (farmland, houses)

[pandorafan5687]

I know in some areas, there are attempts to do so, and there is some land, that laws have been passed, stating that the land is not to have anything build on it, or what can be built on it is very limited. This is primarly to keep some farmland in many areas, and also lets not forget, we need some rural land for some of the things that we eat. What do you guys think? Do you think it's silly? Do you see the point? Or do you not really care?

[Submariner]

I am all for keeping areas rural. I live in a rural setting [homes are spaced 1/2 mile to 1 mile apart, most of the land is forested, people have large gardens / small farms, hunting and fishing are very popular, as is snowmobiling and off-roading].

However we are seeing that in these rural areas the state is pushing through laws which force the people to leave. not via elections, but backroom committees of political appointee cabinet members. So none of this is the will of the people.

Out-of-staters with lots of money have been buying up rural land and putting it into conservator-ships, so it can never again have farm houses on it, or be logged, or even hunted on.

Right now in the town where I live, the state has a 10-year plan for zoning and it talks about the end goal of restricting all 'non-primitive' land use [non-primitive is defined as anything which uses petroleum or electricity]. If this goes into full effect then farm tractors, automobiles, home heating, telephones, etc would all be outlawed.

I see an 'evil' in locking people away from their homes. People who have lived on their land for many generations.

[Driller1]

Land for sale around me???

I buy it.

[MissingAll4Seasons]

I think the preservation/conservation are laws are a good thing; but care needs to be taken not to eliminate everything. Limiting land for ag use (with the buildings and utilities necessary for them to function) or for "primitive use" only parks/preserves would keep large tracts from being busted up and sold for another look-alike McMansion subdivision... but the laws shouldn't make farming impossible or low-impact living impossible. They have to be reasonable.

[pandorafan5687]

Or, I say if youre going to build on rural land, why not make more of the homes true to rural living? You know Large estates w/ large yards, or cabin style homes. Or even the ranch style homes. Limit the amount of houses on the particular slab of land. I hope they preserve some of the farmland in my hometown b/c in my city you can go from a busy area to the country *snaps fingers* like that.

Why not leave some land strictly for agriculture and livestock?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by pandorafan5687

Or, I say if youre going to build on rural land, why not make more of the homes true to rural living? You know Large estates w/ large yards, or cabin style homes. Or even the ranch style homes. Limit the amount of houses on the particular slab of land. I hope they preserve some of the farmland in my hometown b/c in my city you can go from a busy area to the country *snaps fingers* like that.

Why not leave some land strictly for agriculture and livestock?

Cabins from the 1800's are popular here often with an attached dairy barn.

[pandorafan5687]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Cabins from the 1800's are popular here often with an attached dairy barn.

What state are you in? I'm in Louisiana.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by pandorafan5687

What state are you in? I'm in Louisiana.

If you look on each of my posts in the upper right corner where it says 'Location', my town and state are listed.

I live in the greater metro region of Argyle Maine, population 250.

[StarlaJane]

I grew up on a farm and think a lot of people would be better off with some land and the knowledge to cultivate it. I can't stand the current "development" trend in which every house looks the same and there are HOA's that insist that everyones' lawns being exactly the same length. I actually wish our country were a little more agrarian. Although, I wonder if it could be done in a way in which the gap between the haves and the have-nots were not so large.

[texdav]

I d not thnik society can make this decisio or should. Its a individau decision really. I6tsa free country and we should encourage by any governemnt function a change in that.