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Show The March 10, 1972 Zoned or Owned? Special favors are not confined to areas within municipal boundary lines since the advent of country-wid- e or townshipwide zoning. If a politically-favore- d farmer near a developing suburban area can win a zoning classification that is virtually Continued From Page 10 land Press of February 12, 1964, Forrest Allen said, A Cleveland City Plan adopted in 1949 has been virtually abandoned under pressures from councilmen and others for spot zoning to meet spot needs. The 1949 plan has become just a pretty map. If all the zoning changes since 1949 were put on in red ink, the plan would have a bad case of smallpox. A detailed study of 1968 zoning changes shows that while some appear to come easy for real estate promoters, an industry without friends in Council has a tough time.' In a second article of the same series Allen went on to say that "the real planners of Cleveland today are land speculators and apartment building pro- monopolistic (for example, the only land zoned for business for miles around) it can be quite valuable to him, forcing others to deal with him on his terms if they wish to establish a business in the general vicinity. As a result of this kind of so-call- ed behind-the-scen- es political zoning lends more instability than stability to land use. Home owners who believe they are protected by zoning ' may have a rude awakening when a zoning change is suddenly approved to accommodate . the speculator who appears, to by-pla- moters." y, have had unusual influence with the "right" persons in the municipal officialdom. A legally exclusive or monopolistic privilege to an enterprise no one else within the area is permitted to engage in, is an attractive prize and often becomes a lucrative temptation to corruption. Frequently, newspaper stories about hearings on proposed changes in zoning classifications report unexpected, unexplained reversals in the positons formerly taken by certain councilmen or zoning commissioners. This is not to imply that all zoning authorities, or even most of them, are dishonest. They are, however, charged with the responsibility of making decisions that grant special dispensation to some persons over others. Whether the judgment is honest, dishonest, wise, or unwise, the decision is an intervention that comes primarily from the political realm. It can never be an accurate reflection . UTAH ; ; of numerous owners making their own se parte decisions aimed to bring the greatest economic satisfaction mutually to the parties involved. To Coerce or to Compete? Page 11 INDEPENDENT . It is natural for a man to attempt to maintain the value of his property. His efforts to accomplish this may run in either of two separate directions. One is the attitude that a law zoning or urban renewal planning will preserve the relative status quo of businessmen and property owners within a community,, at which point certain men may be quite well satisfied. They want nothing to disrupt their current set of circumstances; they are apprehensive of change because this means work to keep abreast of it. So anxious are they to preserve their present status that they fail to see the zoning action itself brings about an immobilization of full economic moti vations. A subsequent decline in values can be expected. This attitude, then, is unreliable, producing the opposite effect desired. Similar to patent med- icines and other forms of quackery, which cannot make the old young or the homely handsome, zoning and its latter-dakin, government urban renewal, are unable to solve land-us-e problems satisfactorily. They can only raise false hopes among men. The second attitude is the recognition that real retention of economic values means maintaining the same relative positon in a dynamic, moving market. One must swim to keep up with the economic stream. The "game" never ends. Tomorrow is a new day with new economic decisions based upon a satisfaction of tomorrow's wants. Acceptance of this attitude is the key to maintaining ones economic rank. And happily, the competitive road of freedom of choice leads toward the good and vibrant life, and away from economic senility. Regardless of the logic and wisdom of the second attitude, we are lured by the promise of "protection" through zoning laws, not realizing the strong probability that zoning already has contributed substantially to the economic decline of dries. Then absurdity is added to ab- surdity as misdirected government adopts more error to cure the problem caused by its first error. The fallacy of zoning is surely the forerunner of its bigger evil, the fallacy of government urban renewal. Zoning and owning' are incompatible. Since the former is an interference with ownership, zoning at best is a "respectable" century form of theft of an owner's right to own.' Whenever the right to own is removed, restricted, or. eroded in any manner, society declines toward a lower levd of economic goods that is matched by a lower levd of spiritual and moral values. y , ., . Same Location for Two Decades leisure toeie wellspstaS...! Courteous & Friendly Service Giw You and Your Family Healthful, Zestful, Recreation for only pennies per skills day . . . complete facilities for racraation, relaxation, physical supeivi-sio- n under expert of all in an atmosphere quiet cleanliness, and direction. ent Don't Delay . . . INVIST.in a DmM Gymasion Mrabenhip! Individual mMlmN hr Mm. Wanaa All at reasonable yearly rates. Memberships. 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