Getting ready to gobble up more farmland in Greene County (Springfield: 2009, credit)

[ozarksboy]

Greene County officials, looking into the future, have developed a land use plan that recognizes the agricultural heritage of the county is coming to an end.

The land use plan will guide the "gobbling up" of farm land for subdivisions so people can buy or build homes with small acreages. Good-bye cattle grazing in fields; hello Califoreigners with their country estates and McMansions.

Interesting story in the Springfield paper; I think it shows Greene County is open to newcomers from California and other states. This is great; it will keep them out of Phelps County.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Greene County officials, looking into the future, have developed a land use plan that recognizes the agricultural heritage of the county is coming to an end.

The land use plan will guide the "gobbling up" of farm land for subdivisions so people can buy or build homes with small acreages. Good-bye cattle grazing in fields; hello Califoreigners with their country estates and McMansions.

Interesting story in the Springfield paper; I think it shows Greene County is open to newcomers from California and other states. This is great; it will keep them out of Phelps County.

I find this most distressing as I watched almost 20 years of land-grab by developers in the Sacramento area with field after verdant field being turned into paved and cemented, beige, cookie-cutter housing developments with postage stamp yards and an apalling and uninspiring sameness. Meanwhile, who's to feed the people?

Having said that, OB, my guess is that most of the decisions-makers in Greene county had roots in MO rather than CA but as with anything else and everything else involving politics, follow the money!

God forbid this sickness should rear its ugly head in Stone County. But if it does I'll do my best to combat it. In fact, perhaps I could try to deflect it to Phelps County!

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I find this most distressing as I watched almost 20 years of land-grab by developers in the Sacramento area with field after verdant field being turned into paved and cemented, beige, cookie-cutter housing developments with postage stamp yards and an apalling and uninspiring sameness. Meanwhile, who's to feed the people?

Having said that, OB, my guess is that most of the decisions-makers in Greene county had roots in MO rather than CA but as with anything else and everything else involving politics, follow the money!

God forbid this sickness should rear its ugly head in Stone County. But if it does I'll do my best to combat it. In fact, perhaps I could try to deflect it to Phelps County!

I can't fault the Greene County officials and I don't think they're trying to enrich themselves; I think they're doing their job of planning for growth, something that Tambre, who plans to move from New York to Mansfield, has said here is the job of the local officials.

Greene County is responding to a fact of life: People want to move to Missouri because it is cheaper, and those who want to stay out of the two big cities choose Springfield-Branson because it comes closer to offering them the shopping and culture they are accustomed to than does the Twin Cities of Doolittle-Newburg or some other rural area. The Greene County commissioners are looking ahead 20 years to devise a comprehensive plan to make that growth orderly. Growth is good in the opinion of most people, so Greene County must embrace it.

Much of that growth is likely going to sprawl south towards you, Curm.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Much of that growth is likely going to sprawl south towards you, Curm.

Hence my concern, OB. The *good* news is that my time on earth is finite and I'll likely have assumed room temperature before any real encroachment occurs here over 20 miles south of Branson and out on our little penninsula!

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I find this most distressing as I watched almost 20 years of land-grab by developers in the Sacramento area with field after verdant field being turned into paved and cemented, beige, cookie-cutter housing developments with postage stamp yards and an apalling and uninspiring sameness. Meanwhile, who's to feed the people?

With all due respect, I'm not sure what you can really say about people moving to an area in droves because you are essentially part of that growth. From my experience, newcomers want to be the last newcomers and want an area to stay exactly the way it was the day they moved there.

People fuss about new development and what it causes. What about the development they live in?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

With all due respect, I'm not sure what you can really say about people moving to an area in droves because you are essentially part of that growth. From my experience, newcomers want to be the last newcomers and want an area to stay exactly the way it was the day they moved there.

People fuss about new development and what it causes. What about the development they live in?

And with all due respect in return, it had already been here 30 years before we arrived and our house for 20. We neither added nor detracted.

But point taken and in the main, you're correct

[Lake Junkie]

Yes, if you take a historic perspective, we have Left & Right Coast Americans supplanting the Midwest Natives...before that we Immigrant Americans supplanted the "native" Americans...yet...hold on, even They supplanted the Previous Land Holders......what DID happen to the Anasazi?

People of the Colorado Plateau-The Anasazi or "Ancient Pueblo"

Growth is good in my humble opinion because if the body is not growing it's dying. The same with neighborhoods, cities, states, you get the picture. I wish some of those attitudes about managing growth would drift on the breeze down this way.

Curm...you & your wife's addition to the area is like a much needed dash of salt to a pot of baked beans.

And I dare say that ozarksboy's presence in his local pot of stew adds a zest and zing that completes the recipe!

May we all endeavor to be a positive addition to our local pots.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Yes, if you take a historic perspective, we have Left & Right Coast Americans supplanting the Midwest Natives...before that we Immigrant Americans supplanted the "native" Americans...yet...hold on, even They supplanted the Previous Land Holders......what DID happen to the Anasazi?

People of the Colorado Plateau-The Anasazi or "Ancient Pueblo"

Growth is good in my humble opinion because if the body is not growing it's dying. The same with neighborhoods, cities, states, you get the picture. I wish some of those attitudes about managing growth would drift on the breeze down this way.

Curm...you & your wife's addition to the area is like a much needed dash of salt to a pot of baked beans.

And I dare say that ozarksboy's presence in his local pot of stew adds a zest and zing that completes the recipe!

May we all endeavor to be a positive addition to our local pots.

Beautifully put, LJ, and thank you. You deserve much of the credit for bringing like-minded people into our little corner of the world and the Tri-Lakes area is enriched by those who value and revel in the natural wonders of the Ozarks and wish to retain them. OB challenges us to be good stewards of these gifts. It's a worthy cause!

[northbound74]

I can understand why governments are always looking to grow. Rarely does anybody successfully remain stagnant for any period of time. The other alternative is to lose population, which no one wants.

The growth around Springfield does nothing for me, except discourage me from wanting to move down there. The biggest attraction to southern Missouri is it's ruralness, but even the way-out places have become too crowded. Springfield's a nice town, but wouldn't be an improvement in any way to where I'm at now. I'd definitely want to live in the country, but so does everyone else it seems.

It's sad, really. My significant other would love to move back down that way, but I simply can't get excited about that idea.
We live in a big city, and Springfield wouldn't offer a real alternative to that. If we make the move to the country, it will be because we're sick of the crowded city. I don't want to be any less than 1 mile from my nearest nieghbor. Unfortunately, that would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to do in southern Missouri anymore.
Thank you California for sucking so much.
I'm trying not to blame Californians. It's their state government that's so messed up. Please don't bring that nonsense with you. Ever.

[marmac]

------I don't want to be any less than 1 mile from my nearest neighbor"--

Unless you buy land surrounded by govt land, you will be buying well over 1,000 acres to ensure that.

Got deep pockets ?

Got winning lottery tickets ?