NationStates Jolt Archive

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR

you could lie in front of their bulldozers.

you live in a very small city. really only 3000 people?

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR
Sounds like time for a lawsuit. The commission is probably so deep into the pocket of the developers (maybe one in the same?) that they wouldn't do the right thing. Does your state have a "sunshine law" that might be held against them? Like I said, it's litigation time.

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR
Call the State Attorney General's office and tell them that you have the signatures of 1,600 people who want to stop a local project but that the mayor won't accept the petition and is advancing with the project. Inform them that, unless they intervene, the town will become a hotbed of civil disobedience. That should get some balls rolling.

Just make sure you can deliver on the civil disobedience should push come to shove. Things like chaining yourselves to something like iron railings in city hall, laying down in front of construction equipment, etc., seem to work pretty good. Make sure the media knows all about your plans. Most civil disobedience efforts are won or lost in the media.

Eutrusca, you seen experienced with this :eek:

Eutrusca, you seen experienced with this :eek:
Old people know things.

you live in a very small city. really only 3000 people?

Such places are quite comon in the new world.

Who owned the land? Was is public land? Was it zoned?

As long as you didn't own the land, or have some legal assurances that the land wouldn't be developed, I don't see how you have any reasonable complaint.

Such places are quite comon in the new world.
just wondered what would qualify such a small place as a city. in the uk 3000 people would be a large village unless it had a cathedral or if the queen randomly decided it should have city status for having great fish and chips or something.

Old people know things.
So true.

Great. More NIMBYs. Thats just what everyone needs.

Dig a moat around the site. That worked for the Feudal lords, it should work for you.

Dig a moat around the site. That worked for the Feudal lords, it should work for you.

But it doesn't stop the Mongols...

But it doesn't stop the Mongols...

Biuld a wall and a moat.

Liasia']Great. More NIMBYs. Thats just what everyone needs.
Yeah, there can't be any possible reason to not want a nice forest to be wiped off the face of the Earth. :rolleyes:

Yeah, there can't be any possible reason to not want a nice forest to be wiped off the face of the Earth. :rolleyes:

Unless they're launching it into space I don't see it leaving the earth.

Biuld a wall and a moat.

But then they're just going to be out there waiting...

Unless they're launching it into space I don't see it leaving the earth.
It's just going on vacation.

*nod*

Yeah, there can't be any possible reason to not want a nice forest to be wiped off the face of the Earth. :rolleyes:

I'm sure you'd be the first to complain when house prices start to go up in your area. Probably blame it on illegal immigrants or something.

But then they're just going to be out there waiting...

Make sure to burn the area around it then. They won't be able to eat after a while...and while they're there, build another wall and moat outside them, so they're cut off.

Unless they're launching it into space I don't see it leaving the earth.
Well, since they're leveling all the trees, there is no forest. Since a forest isn't an object, rather a collection of objects, it no longer exists, and thus is not on the Earth.

Liasia']I'm sure you'd be the first to complain when house prices start to go up in your area. Probably blame it on illegal immigrants or something.
I can't even dignify this with a useful response.

I can't even dignify this with a useful response.

*shrugs* suit yourself

Is this 5 person committee a city council/planning board or a county commission/planning board? Is the land within the city limits? Where are the people who are meant to move into the housing project likely to come from? Is there a large urban area nearby? How soon till the next election?

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR

File a greivence with your state's supreme court.

Well, since they're leveling all the trees, there is no forest. Since a forest isn't an object, rather a collection of objects, it no longer exists, and thus is not on the Earth.

The trees still exist don't they? as long as they were together I'd consider 'em a forest, and even separated you could considerit a very sparse forest.

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR

They say a developer is someone who wants to build in the woods and an environmentalist is someone who already lives in those woods.

Seriously - you have a few different approaches - you have;
The capitalist approach - just don't buy any of the houses.
The socialist approach - don't vote for those councilmen again.
The NASA approach - get there first.
The French approach - stop going to work until they agree not to build anything... ever.
The China approach - watch the builders and their crew mysteriously dissappear.
The Mexico approach - send everyone who doesn't like it to the county up north to build and tell then they don't even need a permit.
The Palistinian approach - convince your neighbor to strap a bomb to himself and blow up the pizza parlor where the developers best friends cousin's neighbor dines on occasion.
The Israeli approach - Build a large fence around the neighborhood - but tell them it is not a land grab.
The George Bush approach - cut taxes and hire someone who costs billions to study the problem.
The John Kerry approach - Raise taxes and then give up to the commies.
The Communist approach - Tell the developer how much better off he and his family would be if he just added 4000 square feet to your house for free.
The Florida approach - just wait long enough - it'll all blow over eventually. Literally!

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR

Tell him you found some rare exotic endangered species of beetle and he can't do anything.

The endangered species act is stupid and unconstitutional, but when you can use it against a politician attempting to enlarge his voting base with welfare-ites, USE IT!

They say a developer is someone who wants to build in the woods and an environmentalist is someone who already lives in those woods.

Seriously - you have a few different approaches - you have;
The capitalist approach - just don't buy any of the houses.
The socialist approach - don't vote for those councilmen again.
The NASA approach - get there first.
The French approach - stop going to work until they agree not to build anything... ever.
The China approach - watch the builders and their crew mysteriously dissappear.
The Mexico approach - send everyone who doesn't like it to the county up north to build and tell then they don't even need a permit.
The Palistinian approach - convince your neighbor to strap a bomb to himself and blow up the pizza parlor where the developers best friends cousin's neighbor dines on occasion.
The Israeli approach - Build a large fence around the neighborhood - but tell them it is not a land grab.
The George Bush approach - cut taxes and hire someone who costs billions to study the problem.
The John Kerry approach - Raise taxes and then give up to the commies.
The Communist approach - Tell the developer how much better off he and his family would be if he just added 4000 square feet to your house for free.
The Florida approach - just wait long enough - it'll all blow over eventually. Literally!

Excellent post! Probably terrible advice, but still a great post!:D

Around where I live, a five person committee has made a decision for three thousand people that it is right to build massive cluster housing developments in a previously wooded, secluded, low-density residential area that is quite nice to live in. Secret meetings to discuss the proposal were held without the public's knowledge. Recently, a pettition was circulated that called for the abandonment of this proposal. It was signed by over 1600 people, more than half of the city's population! When it was presented to the mayor, he responded saying that there was no way to verify it's authenticity. Before I release wild squirrels in his house and inflate his evil son with something other than his ego, I was wondering if anyone has any options, preferably legal, that could halt this party dictatorship? If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would greatly appreciate them.

SqR

The poster who advised litigation is correct, time to call the Attorney General. In the meantime, I would want to know the stockholders in the development company and any other contractors who are involved. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't find local politicians names, if not theirs then their relatives. Corporate owners are public record and generally have to be registered in the state if they were incorporated in the same state. Some states require corporations doing business in a county to be locally registered as well. There will be a public record somewhere.

I also just for my own piece of mind, would check into the open meeting laws. More than one high hat has been stopped for breaking the open meeting laws regarding local government decisions. Small town politicians are notorious for thinking the good ole boy club doesn't have to have open meetings.