I have been serving as a member of the City's Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. I am one of the sixteen volunteers selected. We have been meeting once a month on the third Monday since May 2006. We discussed various topics of future planning, redevelopment, business retention, possible changes in residential and commercial zoning and we spoke of the two dirty words, "Property taxes". Where I live we do not have City residential property taxes. We only pay State property taxes. The City has been able to provide excellent public services using revenues generated from sales taxes since the City used to be shopping destinations. With the recent major commercial development called "The Valley" in a city nearby and the shopping malls conveniently located near major highways, people no longer willing to put up with traffic along the main street in the City. It is not the question of if, it is the question of when the City needs to establish residential property taxes to sustain its level of services.
Last night we discussed the Future Land Use Categories which include proposals of lifestyle centers, town squares and mixed use developments with detailed architectural, urban design and landscape plans. One of the areas that is considered for re-development is cluster of apartments that were built in the 1960's. I don't know anyone who lives there. For this area, these apartments are not attractive and considered "substandard conditions". There are other apartments in the City that are in similar situation. The reason developers did not yet replace these apartments with half a million dollars town houses because it is a potential political hot button if the City does not provide affordable housing.
My husband and I live in a modest ranch style house we purchased about 12 years ago. On the main floor, there are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a family room with fireplace, a small dining room and a small kitchen. I don't mind the small kitchen since I don't cook. We have a comfortable basement where my husband set up his office, large area for a dry bar, pool table, comfortable sitting area, good size of storage space and laundry area. We hope to put in a half bath in the future so we don't have run up to the main floor when nature calls.
Our two car garage is filled with my husband's tools and only enough room to accomodate his Thunderbird. My 2002 Mazda parks in the driveway and the 1996 Ford truck parks on the street. We have a good size backyard and a small front yard.
There are many new subdivisions in the City with houses that are sold for over $600K. The homes are approximately 10K square foot and they are built on small lot of land. I would rather have a small house on a large piece of land and not having to look out my windows seeing my next door neighbor in her housecoat.
There are other proposals for new residential developments in single family homes subdivisions. I thought of the people who live in these old neighborhoods. Little that they know that in 5 or 10 years or less, developers will knock on their door with a letter asking them to sell their house. Sure, the developers will pay up to 150% of the market values for their house. But where would these 60-70 years old people go to find decent home in the price range that they could afford since most of them are retired people with limited income.
I became involved in the City because I want to be an informed and educated citizen. Many times laws are being written and legislations being passed without any objections from the people until it is too late. I am not trying to stop the City from implementing a sound policy for future development but I hope we will consider the human factors when consider approving any plannings that would effects the people in the community. After all, a man's house is his castle. Let's hope that developers will keep their hands off mi poor but humble casa.
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