THIS LAND WAS YOUR LAND! Judge rules "Build condos – or go to jail"

[Desertdog]

I do hope this judge has to face re-election. The legislature needs to find a way to put a stop to this kind of s**t. I love the last paragraph.

THIS LAND WAS YOUR LAND
Build condos – or go to jail
Judge threatening county planners with prison if development not OK'd
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45202

A judge in Maryland is threatening jail time for county planners if they don't approve a 254-townhouse project in a badly congested region, despite a shortage of water and a petition signed by 600 residents.

"What is the point of having commissioners if the county is going to be run by lawyers and judges?" Carroll County Commissioner Dean Minnich told the Baltimore Sun. "All the decisions at this level of the courts seem to be pro-development."


According to the paper, the planning commission rejected the Eldersburg project last year, citing inadequate facilities in South Carroll, whose population has nearly tripled since 1980.

But Circuit Judge Michael M. Galloway agreed with developers that a previous ruling from six years ago was still valid, and on June 30, he ordered commissioners to OK the site plan for the rental complex in the county's most populous and fastest-growing area.

Benjamin Rosenberg, attorney for the developer, the Carrolltowne Development Partnership, said he'd demand jail time for members of the planning commission – including County Commission president Julia Walsh Gouge – if officials did not comply with the judge's decision.

Local roads are reportedly congested, schools are surrounded by portable classrooms, and the water supply is so stretched, officials have cut back on development until new sources of H2O can be found.

"They will find water for this project," Rosenberg told the Sun. "The county should have reserved water for this project in 1995. If need be, it will have to take water allocated to another project."

The ruling is prompting an outcry from some local residents.

One posted reaction in an online messageboard, decrying the judge's ruling:

"The citizens of Carroll County be damned. A developer wants to make some bucks. It's simple, go to court and have the judges become the final word on what is best for the county. Judges are becoming too powerful in this country. Their ilk are strictly out of touch with what is good and right for society. In this case, they overstepped their authority and are attempting to become legislators. For the sake of their citizens, I hope the board will unanimously ignore the judges. Their is no one the judges can go to to enforce the ruling. All the bench warrants in the world are not going to have the board arrested. No one will lift a finger to jail the board."

 

[KriegHund]

"They will find water for this project," Rosenberg told the Sun. "The county should have reserved water for this project in 1995. If need be, it will have to take water allocated to another project."

brilliant

I too like that last qoute. If only it wasnt so true.

 

[Spot77]

I know this area VERY well. There's been water problems for years, and it is true that the traffic is getting out of control.

The growth has been so exponential that my company opened a new store right near the biggest intersection in Eldersburg because the surrounding stores couldn't handle the volume.

Another fine example of the people of Maryland not getting what they want because of their public servants.

Oh, and let's not forget that there's a major gun club not far from this proposed development. I'm sure there new neighbors will love the noise from the range so much that they'll petition to have it shut down in no time. That's reason enough for me to help fight the development and I don't even use that range.

 

[Art Eatman]

"This project is approved, pending determination of an adequate water supply."

Heck, it might take twenty years or more to find the water--if ever.

, Art

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

Sounds exactly like West Palm frickin' Beach!

We are choking to death on our traffic like a rock star on his own vomit, and still they are putting up ugly condo after ugly overcramped condo.

And just a couple of years ago, the drought was so bad that people were prohibited from watering their lawns or washing their cars. Not enough water in the county of Palm Beach. And still they are putting up ugly condo after ugly overcramped condo. :banghead:


The world is now ruled by insurance companies, and developers.

The Buck is King. Quality of LIFE be damned.


-Jeffrey

 

[2nd Amendment]

Well look at the bright side, if we keep packing the hive-dwellers in tighter and tighter sooner or later plague of one form or another is going to thin the herd. At least that'll leave plenty of good stuff for the survivors.

 

[nico]

Benjamin Rosenberg, attorney for the developer, the Carrolltowne Development Partnership, said he'd demand jail time for members of the planning commission – including County Commission president Julia Walsh Gouge – if officials did not comply with the judge's decision.

Sounds like Mr. Rosenberg could use a boot in his nether regions.

 

[Crosshair]

Ahhhh, got to love water, right now I am less than a mile from a large river. Have more water than we could ever use ony thing we need to worry about is expanding the water treatment plant when the city grows. Why do people move to where there is no water?

/Drinks big glass of water.

 

[Art Eatman]

Crosshair, think "Los Angeles basin" or "Phoenix" or "Las Vegas". Those places managed to politick their way into stealing other folks' water with federal money. It all worked fine for a half-century or so. Trouble is, people are generally ignorant about "infrastructure" and figure there will always be plenty of water--or cheap electricity or cheap gasoline.

TANSTAAFL.

Any particular area has a carrying capacity to its resource base. Doesn't matter if it's cattle on ranchland or people around a city. Sooner or later, it's overstocked.

I can tell you from direct observation that this country was a helluva lot more fun, some 100 million people ago...

Art

 

[mons meg]

No to be too nit picky, but is it the judge actually threatening jail time, presumably for contempt of court, or is it the plaintiff's attorney? Seems like the latter from what I just read.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Those places managed to politick their way into stealing other folks' water with federal money. It all worked fine for a half-century or so.

Yippee! Free government money!

 

[jeff-10]

We are choking to death on our traffic like a rock star on his own vomit, and still they are putting up ugly condo after ugly overcramped condo.

The greatest thing about the rush to build condos in South Florida is that most of them are unoccupied. Speculators just buy them to flip them for quick easy profit. It is like musical chairs, you just don't want to me caught with the huge interest only loan when the music stops.

 

[KriegHund]

hose places managed to politick their way into stealing other folks' water with federal money. It all worked fine for a half-century or so.

he speaks truth. The year before last and last year itself we had major drought issues up here in colorado.

And alot of our water was going, guess where?

Other, very dry, states, such as arizona, and i believe california.

This year were doing excellent on the wtaer sitaution though.