I didn't mean to follow this story, but as I came through Sylva on my way home, I noticed a convoy of trucks leaving Sylva, and realized what was happening, that tonight was the Public Hearing I had been reading about in the Sylva Herald.
I have uploaded the videos to West Carolina Report and the still shots to my Photoblog because I really hate small photos.
The results of the meeting will be published here (probably late Wednesday afternoon), and I will link to the story from West Carolina Report. I was unable to attend the Public Hearing, and I may hear from Mr. McNeely tomorrow or the next day.
Update: 4.30 am Wednesday 02-28-2007
The Asheville Citizen-Times has coverage of the meeting last night:
SYLVA — Construction trucks presenting a show of force lined a roadway near Southwestern Community College on Tuesday as more than 1,300 people packed a public hearing on controlling growth.
Jackson County commissioners have proposed a six-month moratorium on new subdivisions while planners come up with guidelines for managing a building boom, much of it brought by newcomers to the area.
Development Moratorium Hearing
Jackson County residents debate development moratoriumReal estate and building industries fear jobs brought in by transplants could be lost with the moratorium.
“We didn’t come to cause trouble,” said Randy Dillard, manager of Toxaway Concrete. “We just came to show them who they are putting out of business.”
The hearing attracted enough people to fill the college’s 1,000-seat Myers Auditorium to standing-room-only capacity. Hundreds more watched the meeting on televisions in the lobby.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office had deputies on hand to keep order at the meeting. There were no reported problems.
Commentary
I note in the AC-T coverage there were no photos of the construction-related trucks, just a report of their existence. Is this the result of a subtle bias, or did the reporter just not get there in time to photograph the trucks on the road, or side of the road? The made quite a sight, even parked on the side of the road.
There appears to be little concern for the property rights of people as the transplanted population seek to restrict the rights of other property owners, most often to preserve their 'viewshed,' and would restrict economic development that must take place to accommodate the expanding population.
What are the workers of these businesses to do if a moratorium is passed?
Will they be given special compensation, or allowances to draw unemployment during the period of this moratorium?
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