Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Bluegreen? Just say no.

The proposed Bluegreen development along the Haw River certainly makes sense to the Bluegreen Corporation and the current property owners but doesn't make sense to the rest of us.

The development would benefit from the proximity to both the river and the state park. It would also benefit from relatively cheap land and proximity to the Triad. It's easy to see why it's an attractive development target and why people would eventually want to move there.

It doesn't make sense, however, from a planning perspective. The development would be outside much of existing road, service, school, and infrastructure networks. More importantly, it would encourage sprawl away from the "Heart of the Triad."

Guilford County needs development--especially high-end residential development--but that development should occur closer to existing urban centers, jobs, and infrastructure. The rezoning required for the Bluegreen development should be rejected. There is plenty of land to be developed in other parts of the county; the Bluegreen Corporation should go there first.