Gated/Planned Communities (Asheville: power lines, houses, buyers)

[Wendyb0077]

[quote=Scientifical Madness;9137693]"Floridians" aka halfbacks... Most are originally from NY. LOL.

NY-NJ-South FL-WNC The buck stops here!

[Hiram45]

Originally Posted by chickenista

You too are making generalizations. Not all of the ones in the gated community are arrogant. And not all are gracious.
And I am confused as to why you suddenly sank into what I assume is an accent/dialect??
And I am not sure what the Pennsylvania born Daniel Boone has to do with anything. He did hang out here for about two years though before going back home. I assume you mean that you like freedom
and exploration.
And for many of us it is not just 'home'. It has been a haven and a lifesource for over 300 years. And generations of our ancestors are planted in the rich soil.
We are way beyond attached.

Boone never, as you say, went back home. He moved on to Kentucky. Yes, correct assumption, it is about freedom. Oh, and the ancestors of your own great Zebulon Vance migrated here from PA as did a whole lot of others most of whom migrated down the Appalachians AFTER the Revolution. That would be 1781 or later unless you came here from the coastal plains which would be the exception not the rule, unless, of course, you are of Cherokee or similar heritage so I guess you speak the truth when you say "I'm confused."

My intent is neither to exalt nor vilify those who choose to buy homes in gated communities which is the point of my Twain quote so no, I am not generalizing, not in the least. Haven a life source, how terribly poetic. Sister, take it back to the first settlers who came to the US, ours may have arrived about the same time from Europe, perhaps on the Mayflower? I'm a Robinson. Know any? Must be quite a few Southerners with that name.

And so what, your ancestors lived here since the dawn of civilization, just means one thing, you've been stuck in a rut, perhaps, or just antisocial, which is why it is reported that the Scotch Irish who came here were not well received by those who preceded them in moving to the Colonies.

Yet, if I may, what has this got to do with the price of a house in a gated community or, for that matter, where those people came from originally? I would humbly suggest you nor anybody else, unless you know these people personally, can identify where they came from. Fact is, a whole lot of folks migrate here from other parts of North Carolina, far more than who come here from NY. That's a real estate statistic, and why are you leaving out the rest of the Northeast and the whole of the Midwest?

May I be so brash, madam, as to point out to you that if you and your ancestors wanted to keep this land the way it was before all those big bad rich outsiders started coming here you should have rejected GE and other Yankee corporations from moving here with all those nice jobs; and most of all your ancestors or relatives should not have sold their land to developers. You owned it, you sold it thus have nobody to point fingers at but yourselves. Seems money talks loudly and cares little or nothing about heritage when the need arises for a payday.

So, my dear, if you want to lecture to this old history buff about history, better get your facts straight. I've turned more than a few pages on the subject and pride myself on filling in the gaps about where I live when I move to a new area. Comical arguments, really, who cares, the past is dead. How are you with living in the now?

Heritage of Western North Carolina

A Popular History of Western North Carolina: Mountains, Heroes & Hootnoggers by Rob Neufeld (Author) "We need to connect with a spirit-someone from a former time who reveals the drama of his or her life through stories or documents..." (more)
Key Phrases: North Carolina, Civil War, Haw Creek (more...)

[Hiram45]

More on the history of this place.

" It wasn’t until 1809 that the first white settlements started appearing in what is now as the Swain County region, a land the Cherokee had possessed for several hundred years."

Bryson City, Cherokee, Qualla Boundary, Oconaluftee Village, Swain County, Western North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Hey, at least the newcomers are paying for the land.

[Catbirds]

I believe, for the most part, folks that build in the gated communities think their homes will be much safer while they are gone. Amazingly, some of these huge homes may only be occupied as little as two weeks a year, if that much. In one gated community, I had a job of feeding someone's cat while they were gone, and across the street sat this giant monstrosity (my personal opinion). It had a castle-like turret and the largest gate around it that I have ever seen. Signs saying in huge writing that this house was being monitored 24/7. I couldn't help but laugh. How many gates do you need? A funny side note about gated communities was about this one community that has been here for years and years. They even have a security guard 24 hrs. a day. Things were being stolen and no one could figure out how the thieves were coming in. As it turns out, the crooks were crossing the river. They left a giant TV on the rocks because they could not get it up the hill. It is a false security for sure. The best way to keep your home safe, is in a neighborhood where your neighbors will keep a watch out for you like we do here. The only thing ever stolen that I know of here is wood off the porch and we are not gated.

[chickenista]

Wow. You are most certainly aren't from around here.
I am not your you sister. I am not a madam and I am really not your dear.
I resent and am offended by the flippant way you choose to use such familiarities.

We are discussing, I believe, why so many gated communities.
The plain and simple answer is because builders build them and folks want to live in them.
It looks cool and it gives status. It harkens visions of old mansions with the curving drive and the large ornate gates that have denoted wealth and power for ages.
Will there be more? Sure.
But I for one think it is a shame and would prefer to see the newcomers buy up an old place and bring it back to life as so many have done.

[Hiram45]

Originally Posted by chickenista

Wow. You are most certainly aren't from around here.
I am not your you sister. I am not a madam and I am really not your dear.
I resent and am offended by the flippant way you choose to use such familiarities.

We are discussing, I believe, why so many gated communities.
The plain and simple answer is because builders build them and folks want to live in them.
It looks cool and it gives status. It harkens visions of old mansions with the curving drive and the large ornate gates that have denoted wealth and power for ages.
Will there be more? Sure.
But I for one think it is a shame and would prefer to see the newcomers buy up an old place and bring it back to life as so many have done.

My my, so sensitive. Please forgive me but read your post, you're the one who made this personal so live with it whatever your gender is, descendant of people who have lived here over 300 years
What you prefer is of little import. Fact is, probably the owners of gated community homes are not exactly in the class of folks who would be interested in mansions.

No, I certainly ain't from around here, thank my lucky stars. I'm the man from nowhere, roots are for trees. My home is where I am now, not where my great-great-great grand pappy came from. Fact is I was offended by your "I'm a proud local yokel pronouncement", like who cares? I don't have a lot of use for the sort of folks who live in gated communities, nor a lot of use for territorial folks like you who think because your ancestors stole this land form the original occupants that you are owed some special consideration. Remember, your people stole it and sold it to the newcomers so live with it. You've nobody to blame but your neighbors who chose greed over heritage.

[organick]

Seems to be getting personal,

I think part of chikenistas point was that the horrible development practices have blown up wnc over maybe 2 decades. Asheville was a sleepy mt town 20 years ago. As to the reference to native americans that would be true for all of north america, not to mention australia, africa and everywhere else european settlers took.


Isnt the issue we should be worried about the fact that all the development is destroying our natural landscapes, oue environment and wildlife habitat in the name of part time mansions??

[Hiram45]

Originally Posted by organick

Seems to be getting personal,

I think part of chikenistas point was that the horrible development practices have blown up wnc over maybe 2 decades. Asheville was a sleepy mt town 20 years ago. As to the reference to native americans that would be true for all of north america, not to mention australia, africa and everywhere else european settlers took.


Isnt the issue we should be worried about the fact that all the development is destroying our natural landscapes, oue environment and wildlife habitat in the name of part time mansions??

You are absolutely correct but it seems the cat is out of the bag, is it not? This is how it goes down nation wide. I have observed the same in AZ and CO where people are getting their hands on private lands and nobody is watching till it's too late. Especially here where there seems to be a strong objection to ZONING laws, there exists along side this attitude that people want the right to dispose of their private property without prejudice.

Tell me (us), what goes on behind closed doors when a big development firm arrives with plans for one of these communities on land they have already purchased? Who's guarding that gate? I submit that local planners are more concerned with building the tax base than protecting the environment.

Everywhere I've lived, and that includes three basically attractive tourist areas, local business men control everything and everything is therefore done with their pockets in mind. What I observe is, the average citizen doesn't think that far ahead and far too few are interested enough to get involved until it's too late then they go to meetings or forums like this one, scream and holler but the horse is out of the barn and the barn has burned to the ground.

Anyhow, if you look at the beginning of this thread it seemed more like a gripe session about the quality of those who are buying these homes, who they are, what they are like, why they want to stay removed from community involvement and I failed to note any facts to support the allegations. All I began with was a question, how do you know all this stuff about these folks? I seriously think the income range is not even clear in some people's minds so, quite naturally, the topic got a little off track and until somebody can bring to it some statistics, some actual facts about who these people are, it's all just idle gossip.

The problem is simply this. The US has a population is nearing 300 million, perhaps gone beyond that. In 1980 it stood at 226,545,805. In another 20 years the mid 300's. Much of this growth will end up swelling our cities and with it, the wealthy will be moving more and more to places like this to escape thus the problem is far more than trying to control land use. Money will continue to talk and people will continue to bemoan the passage of what once was. Oh how we all have such stories to tell.

[organick]

Originally Posted by Hiram45

You are absolutely correct but it seems the cat is out of the bag, is it not? This is how it goes down nation wide. I have observed the same in AZ and CO where people are getting their hands on private lands and nobody is watching till it's too late. Especially here where there seems to be a strong objection to ZONING laws, there exists along side this attitude that people want the right to dispose of their private property without prejudice.

Tell me (us), what goes on behind closed doors when a big development firm arrives with plans for one of these communities on land they have already purchased? Who's guarding that gate? I submit that local planners are more concerned with building the tax base than protecting the environment.

Everywhere I've lived, and that includes three basically attractive tourist areas, local business men control everything and everything is therefore done with their pockets in mind. What I observe is, the average citizen doesn't think that far ahead and far too few are interested enough to get involved until it's too late then they go to meetings or forums like this one, scream and holler but the horse is out of the barn and the barn has burned to the ground.

Anyhow, if you look at the beginning of this thread it seemed more like a gripe session about the quality of those who are buying these homes, who they are, what they are like, why they want to stay removed from community involvement and I failed to note any facts to support the allegations. All I began with was a question, how do you know all this stuff about these folks? I seriously think the income range is not even clear in some people's minds so, quite natrually, the topic got a little off track and until somebody can bring to it some statistics, some actual facts about who these people are, it's all just idle gossip.

I agree wit your points hiram

I am a very involved member of my community and the reality is that many of the people who live in these gated communities are part year residents. Many of them also do very little to contribute to or give back to the local community because as you hear all to often "we had this or that back home" and they want it here so we build applebees and walmart

[Hiram45]

Originally Posted by organick

I agree wit your points hiram

I am a very involved member of my community and the reality is that many of the people who live in these gated communities are part year residents. Many of them also do very little to contribute to or give back to the local community because as you hear all to often "we had this or that back home" and they want it here so we build applebees and walmart

If I had their bucks neither Walmart nor Applebees would ever see me see me. Think you're wrong on that score. Actually these are places frequented by tourists passing through and local students and working class folks, not high end home buyers. That being said, not a whole lot of that type of person manages to find Asheville to retire in so we're talking natives. I can't even say where Mr and Mrs Deep Pockets go for eats, Biltmore, perhaps? Seriously, a cheap night out for us is Fiddlin' Pig or Papas and Beer.

Yep, it would be nice if everything would stay the same but same as what, when? We tend to idealize the past but there are a whole lot of things gone that are better left gone. We tend to over look the good things and focus on our fond memories which have a way of blocking out the bad times. Just for example, it takes a larger population to bring good medical service to a community. Asheville is the best around and reason enolugh to want to settle close enough to use Mission/St Joes and the modern practitioners the city makes available. I've never lived so close to such a good facility and such good practitioners.