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.
What's happening in Raleigh and much of the south is nothing new. Ask people who lived in California in the 50's and 60's what they thought of people from the East Coast. Ask people in Seattle and Portland who lived there in the 70's what they think of Californians. Ask people in Colorado what they think of Texans. I could go on.
It's nothing new. Areas are "in" and areas fall "out". It shifts the balance of population permanently and now that the spotlight is on NC these past few years, well, it's time to pay the piper!
No, we can learn from the experiences you cite above and take action to prevent the problem by eliminating economic incentives for businesses to relocate here.
Many counties desperately need good jobs and tax revenue. That's where firms should be directed if they want to come here.
We also need more residential opportunities in RTP to reduce sprawl and take the load off the highways.
No need to sit back and accept what may not be inevitable at all.
We also need more residential opportunities in RTP to reduce sprawl and take the load off the highways.
I would agree with this. You may see more and more of this as gas prices increase and people want to be close to work. Urban style developments like Davis Park seem to be gaining in interest.
I would agree with this. You may see more and more of this as gas prices increase and people want to be close to work. Urban style developments like Davis Park seem to be gaining in interest.
I agree with this as well (good point Saturnfan).
What I don't agree with is telling companies that if they want to come to NC to just go to some rural poor county that needs tax revenue. While that would be great in theory it would never happen. How is a company supposed to get skilled educated workers by going out into the middle of nowhere to start a Scientific Research branch? It's not gonna happen...they would laugh in our face and just go somewhere else. You have to go where the educated base of people are and that exists in the Triangle (among other places). By choking off new oppurtunities for companies here, you would eventually choke off existing companies and then the Triangle would revert to what we were 50 years ago. It would actually be worse because we'd have a lot more people and a lot less jobs. We'd be like current day Cleveland or Detroit, but with better weather. Maybe that's what some people want, but not me.
Saturnfan, as much as you detest suburban sprawl it's a fact of life. Cities are a base for most jobs. Not everyone can live in the city. And not everyone wants to. For a lot of people living in a house with a yard (even a small yard) is very important. Many parents want their kids to be able to ride their bikes around the cul de sac of a neighborhood instead of apartment parking lot.
When I was house hunting commuting time and gas prices were a huge factor. it was one of the reasons I picked Cary over Apex. Although, Apex is a very lovely town! But I realize with supply and demand some people may not be able to afford to live somewhere like Cary and have a shorter commute. Or some people may think Cary is too conjested.
What are we supposed to do? Should everyone live in the city in an apartment?
Like I keep saying...the growth is NOT a new issue. The overcrowded schools and the overcrowded roads are NOT a new issue. These are the same issues we have been dealing with for the last 30 years that I've lived here.
Vicki
I thought about this again.......Maybe they subscribe to the "old" school theory "If you put it off long enough, it might go away" just sayin
Cities are a base for most jobs. Not everyone can live in the city. And not everyone wants to.
Then raise a farm. Grow corn. The feds have some rich subsidies for corn farmers. Live on your worksite and do away with the commute.
Failing that...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAtoNC!
What are we supposed to do?
Probably making some sort of compromise on something, somewhere. Either A) paying inflated prices for houses on tiny lots (driving up the cost of the dirt they sit on faster) or there's B) commuting and burning more gas and adding to pollution and congestion by buying further out where things are still reasonable, or there's C) renting an apartment.
So how's that corn farming idea sound? Don't worry, it'll start raining again one day.
Sprawl is a tough issue. On the one hand, people (even people who live in sprawl) hate the fact that the continuation of that sprawl has crowded their schools, roads, etc., and it's not "how it used to be". On the other hand, this sprawl has allowed many places to remain affordable (or more affordable than they would be if zoning was tightened). Portland, OR--which is often used as a model for sustainable growth, has become very expensive due to it's UGB or Urban Growth Boundary. Chapel Hill real estate is another great example of this.
Eventually sprawl impacts life to the tipping point where tough decisions need to be made. A region like the Triangle has become a victim of it's own success, but that said--growth is a good problem to have IMO (sure beats the alternative). At the end of the day, if you have sprawl forever with a lack of transportation and infrastructure, companies will want to move elsewhere---places where these critical things exist. If you properly build the infrastructure needed to sustain/support the area's growth, the area gets more expensive. Should be an interesting future for this region.
I thought about this again.......Maybe they subscribe to the "old" school theory "If you put it off long enough, it might go away" just sayin
Thanks for the morning laugh, Mike! Yep, that could be it or...we could go back to my original theory that building new schools and new roads takes money and no one wants the tax increases necessary!
One thing I like about Cary is how planned it is. Most of my travels are on Cary Parkway and Maynard. I just find it so easy to get around. I heard that a lot of planning was put into Cary Parkway and the widening of Maynard really helps.
In MA I was used to roads that were originally for horses and buggys and Model Ts. The roads are laid out like spaghetti. So Cary's roads are a big improvement to me! I can't speak for the rest of the Triangle's roads.
I heard that Cary's moto is planning, planning and more planning. It seems that a lot of effort was put into the planning. Is it perfect? Heck no! But is it anywhere? Are there some parts of Cary that are overdeveloped with too much traffic. Sure! But for the most part I thinks it runs prettu smoothly.
I don't think handling the growth is an easy task. To get it done perfectly one would need a crystal ball to predict how much growth there is going to be.
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.
Yep, that could be it or...we could go back to my original theory that building new schools and new roads takes money and no one wants the tax increases necessary! 
