WHO WANTS TO LIVE IN AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE?

This is a reprint of a Guest Column carried in the March 8 Register.

Mike Rozow does a nice job fostering business for the Chamber of Commerce. I commend him for his efforts. But, it’s unfortunate that, in trying to further his agenda, he wrote an op-ed piece for The Register so full of innuendo and misstatement.

First, he states that “smart growth” is often a code for “no growth”. In other words, many who work for “smart growth” are liars. That’s untrue and offensive. We all know that growth will continue to come to Dearborn County. It’s impossible to stop it. What is NOT impossible is to see that it’s done with intelligence and concern for the best interests of all in Dearborn County, not just the few who will profit from the development.

He says that “the conversation is dominated by a small but vocal majority.” Again, untrue. Fact is, County Commissioner Ralph Thompson ran on a “smart growth” platform and he was elected by a majority of the voting public. And that was in spite of (or maybe because of) the opposition of the powerful in his own party who took the unheard of step of paying for ads for Ralph’s opponent in the opposing party in an attempt to keep the applecart of unopposed and rampant development from being upset. It is my belief that, had everyone realized what the high-density residential development so often proposed in this county would do to their taxes, Commissioner Thompson’s margin of victory would have been much greater.

Mr. Rozow also cites the need for better roads, often a cry of those in favor of massive development. Fact is, the county’s roads, with the notable exception of US 50 (not a funding problem, but a federal legislation issue), are fine. We don’t need development to pay for roads. We need to pay for roads if we want development.

He says that the county’s 26% industrial tax base is far less than the 43% state average. Good. Because that average includes places like Gary and Indianapolis and many more like them. Most of us don’t want to live in an industrial zone and this county does not need those revenues unless our population density is dramatically higher.

Mr. Rozow also states that 60% of Dearborn County workers leave the county to go to work every day (without citing his sources for that number). That is likely inflated a bit, and in any case does not take into account the number of people who come into the county to work each day. Fact is, if 40% (or more) of us work in the county or within 15 minutes of the county line, drive time for Dearborn County residents is likely at or below the national average of 25.5 minutes each way. (year 2000) What’s more, I’d much rather drive 20 to 35 minutes to work than have an industrial park, factory, shopping district, or high density residential development with their associated noise, pollution, and congestion within a couple of miles of my home.

Mr. Rozow cites the flight of young people from our county. Sons and daughters are leaving their homes after college to move to new horizons, not just in Dearborn County, but in nearly every county in the country. It is the nature of youth. Young people like to find their own worlds, to explore, and in many cases just want to live in the city. To argue that their leaving is due to lack of opportunity at home is to belie the facts. There are many hundreds of thousands of people working in nearly every field imaginable within 45 minutes drive from Dearborn County. Reducing drive time is unlikely to have much effect.

I’ve heard some of those in favor of development claim that they would like to see Dearborn County look like Northern Kentucky. Is that really what we want? Have you seen Florence, lately, y’all?

We could build another Northern Kentucky, or another Norwood. We could also choose to build something like Indian Hill which, because it has been wise enough to protect its green spaces and its near-agriculture atmosphere, has become some of the most beautiful and valuable residential real estate in this part of the country. I’d suggest we build a Dearborn County that has the best of both worlds.

But, to say that we can have development and still keep our open space/agricultural feel and the lifestyles that we love without being ‘smart’ about it is simply a lie. Every acre of farmland or green space that is converted to industrial use, shopping malls, and high density development changes what so many of us find of value in this landscape called Dearborn County. Once gone, those acres will never come back. We all know that things have to change. But, we also ought to know that we really do need to be ‘smart’ about how that happens. If not, the very essence of why so many of us came here and so many of us stayed could be lost forever.


Johnny Schott
York Township, 47022