To the Vance County Commissioners
The first appointment of seven at Monday’s Board of Commissions meeting is the proposed zoning ordinance.
To some in the community zoning is the great panacea of prosperity, well educated children, and manicured yards. To some in the community zoning is government incursion onto individual property rights and the ruination of a free civil society.
We are poised on a historical moment in time not seen since one political group gerrymandered the formation of our County to control another political group 130 years ago. Regardless of your individual personal opinion and potential personal reward with the passage or rejection of this zoning ordinance the consequences of this Board will impact your grand children and great grand children. Just as the decision makers 130 years ago impacted the power and wealth of the grand children and great grand children when using their political power to gerrymander the creation of our county.
I am asking that the Commissioners allow the county property owners to speak about zoning at the ballot box. The county property owners are the ones zoning will impact; they should be the ones who collectively through their individual vote approve or decline this zoning ordinance.
The establishment of a zoning ordinance is a governing decision not a management or policy decision. Each commissioner represents the people in one of seven voting districts each district with its own individual issues. For 87 of this county’s 130 years the majority for who the county was gerrymandered where disenfranchised unable to speak at the ballot box on governing decision. Allowing the property owners to speak through their vote will empower the decision to zone or not zone the county.
A fundamental principle of our Nation is that the people will decide governing decisions. That is why our Nation’s and State’s Constitution allows amendments. Zoning the county 130 years after its creation is unlike your vote to redistrict the voters or the sale of surplus car. One is a governing issue and one is a management decision. Zoning is a governing decision and should by all reason be made by the governed and not their localized representatives.
Michael Bobbitt
“Gerrymandered…..?” Is that one of those newfangled words?
not a “newfangled word”…
it means political districting by those on power.
Michael, good article…well said.
When it comes to zoning the county, there is something interesting and at the same time troubling. Nearly everyone who wants Vance County zoned lives in an area that is already zoned or hobnobs with someone who does. Either misery loves company or there’s some real money to be made by those two or three country clubbers who are dispensing the zoning kool-aid.
The way I see it, those who live in Henderson or its ETJ should not have a voice in whether the rest of the county is zoned. After all, those not affected by county water were excluded from voting in the water bond referendum several years ago because they were not directly affected by its outcome. The same goes for zoning.
It follows logically that the two commissioners who represent already zoned areas should not have a voice in the zoning issue. Commissioners Hester and Wright might feebly try to argue that they represent citizens in all seven voting districts in the county. But how can they, since only citizens in their districts got to vote for or against them?
I know that Vance county government hasn’t always typified decency and honor. Nevertheless, it seems the decent, honorable thing would be for Commissioners Hester and Wright to recuse themselves from the zoning vote.
Better yet, let the affected voters in the other five districts decide whether or not they want to be zoned. Hold a referendum. It makes patently obvious sense, unless of course you are one of those who stand to profit handsomely from being able to control everyone’s land. My guess is that Commissioners Hester and Wright will squeal the loudest at the mention of letting the people decide their own future. Big government republicrats who live on alms and tax dollars always do!
Rusty…..had a long comment to make but deleted it all only to say you are wrong(with a capital “W”). I don’t live in an area that is zoned for anything. I don’t hobnob with anyone. I just want to protect the investment I have which is my land/house. “You just don’t get it”!
Rusty…I miss hearing you on Town Talk.