Robbie Perkins and Zack Matheny are King of Sprawl and Desecration
Posted in Greensboro City Council
Nov. 8, 2007 at 11:58
by BrendaBee
I made phone calls for the Elect Joe Wilson to the City Council campaign and the number one complaint/concern I heard from those I talked to concerned the destructive development here in the only part of the city that still has some greenery, the Northwest. The corner of Horse Pen Road and Battleground and Old Battleground is especially a sore spot. People need to know that Robbie Perkins and Zack Matheny were directly involved in this desecration. And along with the destruction of canopy the traffic as they say is terrific and getting wo0rse by the day at this underdeveloped intersection. Any new company looking for a home and seeing this MELDEREC MESS will head right out of town at top speed.Drive thru any part of District 3 and District 4 and you will see these men and their cronies handiwork. (Wendall Sawyer has dubbed this group as the Jim Melvin/Developers/RealEstate/Chamber of Commerce. or MELDEREC. Of course I have my own term for Jim Melvin: I call him the $6 million bobble head because that is exactly what he sold Greensboro out for and yet he is the God head of Greensboro to hear some people talk.)
Anyhow, the development isn't "planned" at all or if it is planned it is to bring in the heavy equipment and plow down every tree in sight. They destroy what is there because to work around what nature has already provided is just too expensive and may cut into their enormous profit margins. Then to comply with a few limp city requirements they plant a few scrubs and proclaim their concern for the environment and the quality of life.
I live not far from the desecration at Horse Pen, Battleground and Old Battleground. More of the MELDEREC handiwork can be seen on once lovely New Garden. You can understand then how the election of Robbie Perkins and Zack Matheny to the City Council upset me. Joe Wilson and Bill Knight would have been much better choices and would have put a stop to this rape of a city's canopy.
If this isn't enough about the two "names" with large campaign war chests that were elected you might remember that Robbie Perkins was one of the four along with Yvonne Johnson, Don Vaugh, and a lady who has since passed away who went to the City Manager Ed Kitchen and had Jackie Dowd (city auditor) investigated for daring to suggest that the city should audit the Project Homestead books and see just where the $17 million of city tax payer money was going. The Simkins PAC operatives simply have to say bend over and old Robbie....well, you get the idea. The Hammer brothers have nothing but praise for Robbie Perkins and they are quick to point out that he had nothing to do with the current state of affairs in Greensboro. I like the Hammers generally, but at times they are simply beyond me with their weird reasoning. As if what is happening now in Greensboro just happened two years ago and does not have its roots in years of bad government that has just come to a head by finally going too far and revolting the public.
Zack Matheny is another bought and pay for political operator. We can however be greatful for one thing: this young man has his eye set on bigger and better things than little ole Greensboro/Guilford and will be moving on to state and federal politics if I am any judge of character. He certainly has the looks and personality for higher politics. And from what I have been able to deduce from his actions with the Planning Commission and Development Companies he also has the correct stance required: his lips are at the right level for kissing the big boys.
Our problem will be to keep a lid on these two men's hopes and dreams for the next two years. But that shouldn't be a problem because there are many of us who are not going away, and who will demand change and change for the better in our home town. BB
3 Comments | Post Comment | Email This
Nov. 8, 2007 - Urban Sprawl
2. Urban Sprawl, Individual Property Rights and Development:The exponential population growth is the single greatest challenge that we as a community face. These population increases challenge our basic values and natural resources. The solutions that we set in motion today will be our legacy. How do we balance our right of economic gain while slowing down urban sprawl? I support the revitalization, adaptive re-use and 'infill' of existing neighborhoods. I propose that the City of Greensboro in conjunction with surrounding communities continue to support and expand the Urban Greenway in all directions by a reallocation of current budgeted tax priorities or by an additional tax for the purchase of land to be held in trust for our heirs. This could be accomplished by an existing agency such as the Piedmont Land Conservancy or another sanctioned group. This public purchase of land will slow urban sprawl thus encouraging infill development while not infringing on individual property rights.
One needs only to look at China and India to propel us towards workable solutions that we choose rather than those that will be forced upon us by the government in the future.
Posted by Anonymous
Nov. 8, 2007 - Urban Sprawl
The above comment was sent by Sidney C. GrayPosted by Anonymous
Nov. 8, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Thank you for adding your comment Mr. Gray, I remember reading it on your site. We simply must do better with the space we have and the burden on the environment the ever increasing pollution is causing. The City of Greensboro had an excellent plan I am told, but "had" is the operative word. The city council has changed the plan so much by approving variances that it is no longer resembles the original. I only hope the city fathers don't decided to spend another fortune having a plan for growth developed that they can continue to ignore. Unless of course the new plan is tied up with laws that would allow change only after a city wide vote. The developers would soon begin to build within the plan instead of making the plan suit their purposes. This of course would mean property designated for multi-housing would have a higher price tag than that for residential and would of course hurt the profit margin. It is much more profitable to purchase cheaper land and then have a bought and paid for city council change the zoning.Thank you for stopping by. I was surprised since I wasn't very cordial to you on Joe's site the one time we had some dialog. I simply can not tolerate anyone taking Joe Guarino to task as I find him to be one of the most ethical and sincere people I have ever known. And he is always the gentleman, so I jump in like a mother hen with her favorite chick :-). BB
Edited by BrendaFayBowers on Nov. 8, 2007 at 20:54
Posted by BrendaFayBowers
