Robbing the cradle

I was heartened to read in your pages recently that certain zoning provisions were upheld—or at least, there was an agreement to look into their merits.

Unrestricted building is not good for any community at this time, especially one [known as] the “Cradle of Forestry.”

The myth has been promulgated by those who have commercial interests that zoning is “bad” because “outsiders” will come here and tell us what to do with our green place. In fact, the opposite is true.

There are those who have joined government “service” on the local level because they have property to sell. They see zoning as a restriction on the profits they can put in their greedy hands. (Who cares about the hillside erosion on 400 home sites on 400 acres of formerly green hillsides? Their personal profit is the thing! How to get the gullible voters to go for it?)

Others have become “servants of the people” because they need a speedway at which to sell their auto supplies. I applaud their pluck; but there are people to consider. What a carbon footprint a raceway can provide! Not to mention tens of thousands of cars idling for a spot in a 100-acre lot.

As I said before, as the “Cradle of Forestry,” we should be thinking of building more preserves before it’s too late.

All building should be environmentally zoned and ecologically “smart.” We should be looking into high-density within the city, with outlying areas served by commuter rails.

Do we have to wait until everything is paved over and no one can breathe?

— Tom Coppola
Asheville