Clayton planners’ plan to control private property along the Highway 70 Bypass
The Garner-Clayton Record reports that the new US Highway 70 bypass that skirts Clayton has city planners busy envisioning their plan for this corridor. Unfortunately, their plan for what is aesthetically pleasing conflicts with some of the landowners who have different plans for their property.
A similar dispute over whose plan would rule occurred in Chatham County when planners proposed a scenic overlay that covered all of the major roads in the county. That plan would require a 150-foot buffer with every 100 linear feet landscaped with 165 trees and shrubs. Additionally, the plan would impose a conditional-use overlay to control all private property within a 3,000-foot-wide corridor along all major county roads. The plan would transfer 23,000 acres of private property from the property owners’ control to the control of the county commission and powerful special interests. This planners’ dream plan became an issue in the 2010 county elections and voters voted out several of the commissioners who supported the planners’ plan. See this John Locke Foundation report for the details of the planners’ dream plan.
No smoking inside or outside in Greensboro?
As in some other cities and counties in North Carolina, Greensboro is debating whether or not to ban smoking in its parks. According to the News & Record:
The Cone Health Foundation has asked the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Commission to ban smoking in all 175 city parks, recreational facilities, greenways and trails. If enacted as requested, Greensboro’s ban would follow similar policies in Asheville, Boone and Buncombe County. And it would be tougher and more comprehensive than a policy in Raleigh that takes effect this summer. The Raleigh ban, passed in February, excludes two downtown parks as well as the parking lots of parks and recreation facilities. It also allows smokeless tobacco use.
Are there any aspects of human behavior that will be left unregulated by government? On a recent trip, my wife and I were sitting at a picnic table in a small park behind a McDonald’s when an employee came out and sat at the next table. After a brief greeting, she lit up and then noticed the smoke blowing in our direction. She asked if it bothered us and when we politely said yes, she moved to a table at a greater distance. That is how civilized society handles this problem, not by passing more and more laws.
Cutting Raleigh’s "Arts" subsidies?
As sure as the sun will come up tomorrow, proposals to cut budgets bring out special interests and one of the most powerful is the so-called arts community. The arts community usually gets its way because city council members and arts community members are often part of the same city elite. Thus council members are not only in tune with their special-interest pleadings, they rub elbows with them at the same cocktail parties, arts openings, etc. Even though most city council members are wealthier than the average city taxpayer, they like the fact that taxpayers are subsidizing their preferred form of entertainment. Thus, as noted by the News & Observer below, Raleigh council members have restored proposed cuts in the arts budget the last two years.
This "arts" subsidy is in a town that has huge potholes on almost every street, has rampant crime in the southeast section of town and, according to this N&O report, is refusing to pick up debris from the tornado last April. The city council should cut the entire $1.6 million in arts funding and devote that money to solving problems that are part of its core mission.
Arts groups are gearing up to rally against [Raleigh City Manager] Allen’s recommendation. Many say they’ve already cut costs amid shrinking corporate and private donations.
City Council members sided with arts groups each of the past two years by reversing the proposed cuts. But the choices get tougher this year. Raleigh officials must overcome a $12 million budget gap, up from $7.5 million last year…
Allen proposes trimming funding for the arts from $4.50 to $4 per resident. The arts commission would be left with $1.6 million to disburse among three dozen arts groups, or $150,000 less than last year.
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