03-31-2021, 09:46 PM
C(-)ris wrote:
Good luck. It isn't your land, and transitioning from farm land to housing isn't viewed as a big stretch in the grand scheme of things. If they wanted it zoned commercial or industrial that would be a different story. As was said, you can't prevent people from doing what they want with their land.
Sure you can. It happens all the time. You just need the people in charge of whether it's allowed to take your side. It also depends on the jurisprudence of the state and locality where you are, but owning land doesn't automatically entitle you to do with it as you like. People get turned down all the time for re-zoning applications, and it's often for reasons that don't seem remotely fair, like 'preserving the character of the county,' or, 'protecting the scenic natural landscape.' Local issues are often decided by local boards or councils, and appeals are heard by local judges. It's rare to win a case on environmental grounds, albeit not impossible, but winning over local decision makers stifles development - all - the - time.
C(-)ris wrote:
Same advice I give to "Historical societies, preservationists, and loners": Put your money where your mouth is and buy it if you don't want it to change. OR put your money where your politicians mouth is in some cases, but if you do that you will need to keep feeding it.
It's not always about money, either. Local politicians often want to be popular and re-electable, and will reject newcomers to protect constituents if it means keeping a winning status quo. Remember - new development means new residents, and new residents often want new things, bring new ideas, and can sweep the old guard away in their zeal to remake the area in their image. That's not about money - that's an external threat to officeholders.