Politics from the Palouse to Puget Sound

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Advice for the “Stupid Growthers”

Some real estate advice inspired by the stories in yesterday’s Daily News about the corridor development approval and the NewCities meeting in Moscow last night.

If you like a more “rural feel”, Hooper, Elk River, Hay, Bovill, Dusty, Deary, Lacrosse, Helmer, Rosalia, Yale, Pine City, Farmington, etc. beckon. You’ll never have to worry about “urban sprawl” there.

If you like “pedestrian-friendly” neighborhoods with “high-density housing” located within a mile of the “downtown core”, then Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and even New York City await. Of course housing in those places is many times more that what it is here in Pullman-Moscow, but how can you really put a price on doing your part to stop global warming and suburban consumerism.

The rest of us less-enlightened mortals, you see, like having choice and diversity; the ability to do all of our shopping in our own communities and the option to live in a single-family home with a yard, a vintage 100-year old house, or a boho apartment downtown. Many of us have also reproduced, selfishly contributing to the depletion of our non-renewable resources. We can’t cram in to expensive high-rise condos. We prefer that our kids play on grass and cul-de-sacs as opposed to dirty sidewalks and busy downtown streets.

"Smart Growth" is just like a watermelon: green on the outside, red on the inside.

If you’re hung up on the whole “all-or-nothing” concept, I’m sorry. Instead of your way, it’s going to have to be the highway. We’ll help load up the U-Haul. Send us a postcard and let us know you made it okay.

1 comment:

Dale Courtney said...

Tom,

You are making some bang-up observations!

Having moved to Moscow from the Carmel area, I can tell you that the cost of what the Moscow City Council *wants* is prohibitive in Moscow and in a college town -- unless they *really* want Bovill.

best,
Dale