10/8/10
Expert to SJ planners: Growth not the answer
No need for more big subdivisions, planners are toldBy Garth StapleyLeaders must resist the wrong-headed notion of curing recession blues by encouraging more sprawling subdivisions, renowned growth expert Bill Fulton told San Joaquin Valley planners gathered Wednesday in Modesto.
"You probably have enough suburban housing to last you a good, long time," said Fulton, a consultant, author, controlled-growth advocate and Ventura mayor. "Why in the world would you go out of your way to build lots more of that stuff?"
But that's exactly what Modesto and other valley communities will get as a default if leaders don't summon the political will to focus on the valley's legacy of "agriculture and really beautiful towns," Fulton said."Political will is grown — by politicians, by business leaders, when people believe they're going to get something better out of the deal,"
Fulton continued. "Political will arises from people being dissatisfied, wanting something different and being willing to get it."
"This is the exact opposite from what we are being told by politicians being paid by developers on the Modesto city Council."
Emerson Drake
http://www.modbee.com/2010/10/06/1372280/expert-growth-not-the-answer.html
