My neighbors and I have had to organize and attend to a desire by the County to up-zone in our semi-rural neighborhood. There are several infrastructure issues we are presenting as arguments against any significant upzoning, but there are a couple of things that are worthy of a post here on my blog, as well.
My neighbors and I have had to organize and attend to a desire by the County to up-zone in our semi-rural neighborhood. There are several infrastructure issues we are presenting as arguments against any significant upzoning, but there are a couple of things that are worthy of a post here on my blog, as well.
The first is a Wall Street Journal article about a hot trend that is already our current reality — An Apple Tree Grows in Surburbia. The article explains how more and more people are returning to a more sustainable lifestyle, which includes a certain amount of local and home food production. We see the the space and simplier life being healthier, but it is also part of my family disaster preparedness and response plan.
We have been told one reason for the desired increase in residential units in our neighborhood is a lack of sufficient workforce housing in close proximity to employers. However, today’s mobile technologies and the current trend toward flexible workplaces should actually reduce the pressure to up-zone properties in established residential neighborhoods. In fact, the President has an interest in workplace flexibility and has directed all federal agencies to create plans for increasing the number of flexiblework schedules and mobile and remote workers. He wants federal agencies to become models for other public and private businesses.