tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post4461696890246899886..comments2023-11-05T04:34:10.303-05:00Comments on The Naked City: Say 'no' to gated communities. Asheville just didUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-21768877465027318322007-06-20T10:43:00.000-04:002007-06-20T10:43:00.000-04:00Side note: You argument for more, smaller blocks a...<I>Side note: You argument for more, smaller blocks and connected streets only descreases greenspace and increases impurvious space, resulting in greater water runoff, etc.</I><BR/><BR/>Depends on where you're looking. While traditional blocks might reduce the amount of (wasted) greenspace in between buildings (see Colony Rd. for many egregious examples), it drastically reduces the amount of space required to build a neighborhood. That means more <I>real</I> natural greenspace nearby, in the form of old-growth forests and rural fields. It might not be the artificial landscaping we're used to, but it's a hell of a lot prettier and better for the environment.<BR/><BR/>Also, the reduction of permeable space is counterbalanced by increased storm-drain efficiency. You NEVER hear about the city's traditional neighborhoods being flooded, partially because they're better drained than their suburban counterparts. It's easy for a handful of storm drains to take care of a whole city block's water runoff; but suburban development is so badly drained that they have to build those grotesque "ponds" near major developments to capture the massive amount of runoff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-36140636438236906232007-06-19T21:31:00.000-04:002007-06-19T21:31:00.000-04:00I live in a gated community but I don't complain a...I live in a gated community but I don't complain about traffic. I am just rich.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-30658724404910505512007-06-19T07:46:00.000-04:002007-06-19T07:46:00.000-04:00Yaaa NC Dot.Thank you.I suppose the same answer is...Yaaa NC Dot.<BR/><BR/>Thank you.<BR/><BR/>I suppose the same answer is true on the north western leg, where NC 16 is crossed by 485 on the other side of town. Short-sighted planning. <BR/><BR/>I will admit we have more lanes on 485 on this end initially, so they're doing something right.<BR/><BR/>So much for the sarcasm about developers owning the land.<BR/><BR/>LewisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-33277624871484099852007-06-18T22:52:00.000-04:002007-06-18T22:52:00.000-04:00Scru0 trskced ti the burbs. No gates to jnoiw. B...Scru0 trskced ti the burbs. No gates to jnoiw. Better for noew?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-38943201145283587352007-06-18T14:26:00.000-04:002007-06-18T14:26:00.000-04:00Lewis --In answer to why there is not a full cover...Lewis --<BR/><BR/>In answer to why there is not a full coverleaf at 16/485 is that NC DOT -- in its infinite wisdow -- considered the entire southern leg of the beltway a "rural bypass" and built it to that standard.<BR/><BR/>They've already rebuilt the interchange at least once and have repeatedly pushed back a new interchange at Weddington road which would relieve pressure on the 16 exit.<BR/><BR/>Yaay, NC DOT.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-42683541607117924472007-06-17T19:19:00.000-04:002007-06-17T19:19:00.000-04:00Probably some developer owns the land which would ...<I>Probably some developer owns the land which would have been used to provide the cloverleaf.</I><BR/><BR/>And your point is what?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-32989876621143707992007-06-17T17:45:00.000-04:002007-06-17T17:45:00.000-04:00My mistake. I-485 at 16 near Gaston County line.Wh...My mistake. <BR/><BR/>I-485 at 16 near Gaston County line.<BR/><BR/>While the traffic is created by people traveling somewhere, Denver area perhaps, the intersection design is lacking in forethought.<BR/><BR/>Probably some developer owns the land which would have been used to provide the cloverleaf.<BR/><BR/>LewisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-82939563248216073412007-06-17T15:22:00.000-04:002007-06-17T15:22:00.000-04:00Lewis, a huge chunk of the traffic on NC 16 at I-4...Lewis, a huge chunk of the traffic on NC 16 at I-485 is caused by people commuting to and from Union County... Weddington, Waxhaw, etc. My guess is that whoever planned that interchange completely failed to anticipate that Union County might see a surge in development once I-485 brought a major highway within a couple of miles. The obvious solution is to rebuild that interchange with a full cloverleaf (no more traffic lights) and to widen NC 16 to four lanes all the way to Waxhaw.<BR/><BR/>But again, this has nothing to do with gated communities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-81531825432556238742007-06-17T07:41:00.000-04:002007-06-17T07:41:00.000-04:00Before attacking Mary please read what she wrote.T...Before attacking Mary please read what she wrote.<BR/><BR/>The piece was about traffic congestion and gated communities. Crime was an aside.<BR/><BR/>Traffic is handled better by more connections, which gated communities do not provide, is her point.<BR/><BR/>She finishes by saying Charlotte usually bows to developers, except occassionally.<BR/><BR/>Beyond that I never saw where she said anything about the people living in them. <BR/><BR/>She used the word "silly", which she knows I deplore, to describe the idea that some minor actions which would improve road travel, <BR/>would be met with histrionics by developers, the chamber and a majority of city council, all fearing any such action would slow down growth. <BR/><BR/>The comments, as usual, run off in varying directions based on single words or sentences Mary or some other wrote, as often as not distorting the meaning of the original comment, all too often becoming vituperative in attitude.<BR/><BR/>But along the line of the original - the engineering design of the intersection of NC 16 at I-485 is very poor.<BR/><BR/>Outbound on north 16 from 485 north required a new red light, instead of the obvious cloverleaf. Traffic now backs up on north 16 in the afternoon all the way to the next light, which is almost 1/2 mile away, causing southbound 16 to wait at the light.<BR/><BR/>There should have been a full cloverleaf as 16 is a major artery.<BR/><BR/>Why is there not?<BR/><BR/>Lewis GuignardAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-36546858942243228962007-06-16T16:44:00.000-04:002007-06-16T16:44:00.000-04:00Perhaps gated communities are a sign that governme...Perhaps gated communities are a sign that government has failed.<BR/><BR/>If police actually went after crooks instead of directing traffic after a Bobcats game, who would need gated communities.<BR/><BR/>The USA is moving in the direction of the Phillipnes and Panama. In 30 years 95% of the country will be a dirt poor underclass, and the other 5% of the ultras wealthy will live in palaces gaurded by guys with M-4's.<BR/><BR/>You can pick virtually any government program, and it is a complete failure, complete waste of money, and ultimately unused by the very rich.<BR/><BR/>Our middle class is evaporating. Government is making it worse by spedning more and in turn flushing the money down the toilet.<BR/><BR/>The poor will always get screwed, the rich will always get their way, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-52089041031567844552007-06-16T14:46:00.000-04:002007-06-16T14:46:00.000-04:00to anon who posted-"Should the people above not en...to anon who posted-<BR/>"Should the people above not enjoy rising property values as well, or is it all about you, to hell with the rest? As for twistng the rising tax rate for additional city amenities into this argument, not only do property values go up, but so does the quality of life of a city as it becomes more well rounded with more transportation and cultural choices. I think it's win-win for those who have lived along the corridor all along."<BR/><BR/>I don't know where you got the impression I wanted all others to go to hell. I was pointing out the fact about middle class people living in "affordable" housing for years now have to move becauce now there city is "world class". That is the point I was making.<BR/><BR/>ThadAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-68554158941135445042007-06-16T12:12:00.000-04:002007-06-16T12:12:00.000-04:00More of Newsom's 'I'm jealous because I don't have...More of Newsom's 'I'm jealous because I don't have something somebody else does, I feel inferior, so won't government ban it so I don't have to feel bad anymore.'<BR/><BR/>You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer.<BR/><BR/>They tried that in the Soviet Union, we all know how that turned out.<BR/><BR/>We are supposed to be the land of life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.<BR/><BR/>WHy the h-e-double ell do you care what kind of neighborhood people live in?<BR/><BR/>Side note: You argument for more, smaller blocks and connected streets only descreases greenspace and increases impurvious space, resulting in greater water runoff, etc.<BR/><BR/>Mind you own busisess, Mary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-59531263900472189532007-06-16T12:08:00.000-04:002007-06-16T12:08:00.000-04:00Uncle Dennis lamented:"Most of the gated communiti...<B>Uncle Dennis lamented:<BR/>"Most of the gated communities that I have seen do not have affordable housing in them. Probably do not have rental units in them."</B><BR/><BR/>I have seen many rental properties that are gated communities. Quite often the rent is quite reasonable. I lived in one for a year that cost $650 per month. Gated with a poll for the community. <BR/><BR/>Uncle Dennis, you are utterly clueless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-45295713874043606542007-06-16T11:53:00.000-04:002007-06-16T11:53:00.000-04:00"Also, when all the property values near the south..."Also, when all the property values near the south rail line increase (good, right?), will that not force the middle fixed income people that already live there to move because of increasing taxes for more trains/museums/etc. and privledge of living so close to the rail line?"<BR/><BR/>Hey Thad, I'm sure you are enjoying your property value increasing in your gated community. Should the people above not enjoy rising property values as well, or is it all about you, to hell with the rest? As for twistng the rising tax rate for additional city amenities into this argument, not only do property values go up, but so does the quality of life of a city as it becomes more well rounded with more transportation and cultural choices. I think it's win-win for those who have lived along the corridor all along.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-30831786933646502792007-06-16T07:50:00.000-04:002007-06-16T07:50:00.000-04:00I want a neighborhood for my People only I want it...I want a neighborhood for my People only I want it segregated from Others; I am from the planet zepton and our People are light Blue in color ; Now can you imagine seeing us walk down you downtown in broad daylight. We have rights also. We are coming here to Charlotte to make this our home. We dont know much but we can tell the future and some of us can heal People by our touch. We are coming back .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-59540411171581733242007-06-16T07:46:00.000-04:002007-06-16T07:46:00.000-04:00I want a neighborhood that I can walk through and ...I want a neighborhood that I can walk through and not run; I want a neighborhood that i dont spill my coffee on my shirt while Im strolling through because of walking fast as hell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-71183407945473326822007-06-16T06:47:00.000-04:002007-06-16T06:47:00.000-04:00More accurately, what is meant by affordable housi...More accurately, what is meant by affordable housing is that which is either taxpayer subsidized or government mandated or both, to be cheap enough for people who are too poor to afford housing similar to the other houses in the neighborhood.<BR/><BR/>And sure some of us read your definition of 'ghetto' UD. But don't get in such a twit if no one responds the way you wish they would to it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-4380151385508391352007-06-15T23:42:00.000-04:002007-06-15T23:42:00.000-04:00Most of the gated communities that I have seen do ...<I>Most of the gated communities that I have seen do not have affordable housing in them.</I><BR/><BR/>So... the people who live there can't afford the houses they live in? Or is it that YOU can't afford the housing that's found in gated communities?<BR/><BR/>Please STOP using the word "affordable" in that way. When you feel like saying "affordable", please substitute the word "cheap", because that's obviously what you really mean.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-14409110613982310522007-06-15T22:54:00.000-04:002007-06-15T22:54:00.000-04:00Well, I see that no one really read the definition...Well, I see that no one really read the definition of "ghetto" that I posted.<BR/><BR/>"voluntarily or involuntarily, in milder or stricter seclusion."<BR/><BR/>Most of the gated communities that I have seen do not have affordable housing in them. Probably do not have rental units in them. The amount of seclusion may vary, but is seems like it fits the broader description.<BR/><BR/>Should High Rises also be part of that, probably, though the pricepoints vary widely in most condominium buildings.<BR/><BR/>I can't speak for Ms. Newsom, or anyone else for that matter. I have met her on occasion, and she doesn't seem to be the person some here refer to.<BR/><BR/>And as to diverse communities, Downtown is a great example. The Third Ward around Gateway Village has section 8 housing, rental workforce housing, student housing, single family homes, townhouses, mid-rise condominiums, and a rescue mission to boot. <BR/><BR/>The other wards also have significant diversity, with the Second Ward being an exception due to such a low concentration of dwellings for now.<BR/><BR/>As I have said before, I thank God that everyone is not like me, how boring would that be! I respect your wanting to live in cul-de-sacs, or development plans, or gated communties,or farms, or downtown condos, or wherever.<BR/><BR/>I choose to live where it is best suited for me, and I hope you live wher it is best for you.<BR/><BR/>UDUncle Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17578709654936208214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-64522070750843915362007-06-15T16:36:00.000-04:002007-06-15T16:36:00.000-04:00Oh, and UD, you never answered my question about a...Oh, and UD, you never answered my question about a more diverse urban neighborhood than my cul-de-sac. <BR/><BR/>Show me a neighborhood where there is income, ocupational, race, and educational diversity that is not government mandated, and I'll bet you it is a suburban neighboorhood.<BR/><BR/>Not some closed off tower or TOD.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-75591403305424505082007-06-15T16:28:00.000-04:002007-06-15T16:28:00.000-04:00I was going to completely avoid this thread, but s...I was going to completely avoid this thread, but since Arlington, VA has been falsely mentioned twice as a good example of TOD changing an area, I couldn't let the errors pass.<BR/><BR/>I moved here from Arlington, VA 3 years ago. I lived in the Rosslyn/Balston corridor mentioned in the referenced article.<BR/><BR/>First of all, using rising real estate values in that corridor as validation of TOD is a false premise. Real estate values in the entire county of Arlington appreciated that much in the first half of this decade. Not just that corridor. They appreciated so much that Arlington County actually <B>lowered</B> its tax rate because the government received such a windfall profit. That didn't happen just because of the TOD development.<BR/><BR/>Second, TOD became feasible in the referenced corridor because density and traffic in the overall area finally reached levels that justify it after decades of the rail line's existence. What is being proposed in Charlotte is the exact opposite. The density is being artificially created, sometimes at taxpayer expense, to justify the rail.<BR/><BR/>Prior to the dot com telecom boom of the late 90s, the Arlington area was not overly crowded - even though the DC metro area was already much bigger than Charlotte ever will be. Then that area became the center of an IT explosion - both in the dot-com and telecom industries. This occurred mainly because they are highly regulated industries and it was beneficial for these new companies to co-locate in the DC area with the federal regulators. That drew literally hundreds of thousands of additional people to the area.<BR/><BR/>Basically, looking at DC and saying it is a model for TOD in a city like Charlotte is – as usual for the pro-railers – an apples-oranges comparison.<BR/><BR/>As for complaining about gated communities…<BR/><BR/>If Danimal says he agrees with me (even though I didn’t comment on it) it must be ridiculous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-9703709967559398032007-06-15T15:38:00.000-04:002007-06-15T15:38:00.000-04:00Mary Newsom and Uncle Dennis come across as the mo...Mary Newsom and Uncle Dennis come across as the most racist and intolerant people on this board. This complete lack of tolerance for people who want to live different lifestyles is alarming. A common element of Mary and Uncle Dennis is the inane insults of anything other than what they approve of.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-11834246780013075512007-06-15T15:33:00.000-04:002007-06-15T15:33:00.000-04:00Should Gated Communities be called Ghetto's?My nei...<B>Should Gated Communities be called Ghetto's?</B><BR/><BR/>My neighbors in my gated community are from India and Kuwait. I am from Germany.<BR/><BR/>Where do you dream up these insane sterotypes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-11522810168349352702007-06-15T15:20:00.000-04:002007-06-15T15:20:00.000-04:00I suspect that many of those high rise condos in t...I suspect that many of those high rise condos in the city also fit UD's ghetto definition. Don't you have to own or be visiting an owner to get into the buildings and use the amenities? Sounds like seclusion to me!<BR/><BR/>(See how silly name calling can get!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19601020.post-43990697010386756602007-06-15T15:08:00.000-04:002007-06-15T15:08:00.000-04:00UD-you added"The name ghetto refers to an area whe...UD-you added<BR/>"The name ghetto refers to an area where people from a given ethnic background or united in a given culture or religion , voluntarily or involuntarily, in milder or stricter seclusion.<BR/><BR/>What section would the gated community fit in. I keep trying to find the link bu cannot. <BR/>Please help me understand.<BR/><BR/>No specific ethinic background<BR/><BR/>No given culture<BR/><BR/>No Religion required<BR/><BR/>Left with "voluntarily or involuntarily, in milder or stricter seclusion.<BR/><BR/>Includes almost everyone in a single family house.<BR/><BR/>Also, when all the property values near the south rail line increase (good, right?), will that not force the middle fixed income people that already live there to move because of increasing taxes for more trains/museums/etc. and privledge of living so close to the rail line?<BR/><BR/>ThadAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com