Wednesday, April 23, 2003

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but years ago I realized Fayette County was losing the rural charm I knew as a child. Growth is necessary to maintain a tax base to support the amenities a county requires. With that growth Fayette County has attracted a variety of new residents from most corners of the globe and each has an opinion of the direction of Fayette's future. With this in mind I have to ask myself, Where in the world is Bill Gilmer from? Proper English or not, he's obviously not from Fayette County.

I read his comments about the Rivers Farm several times thinking he must be making a joke by suggesting "higher density housing, local shopping and work space...." It's difficult for me to conceive a person enjoys living so close to his neighbor that they share the knowledge of "thy going in and thy coming out." Bill, most of us would rather leave that to the Lord and have a little privacy.

Also, you're being somewhat presumptuous to think most people don't want a big yard. Have you ever had a large yard? Most people with a large yard take a lot of pride in their landscaping. They probably don't have an accent like yours, but you can meet many of them Saturday mornings at any of the area nurseries loading pickups, not SUVs. Additionally, anyone who can afford five to 10 acres in Fayette County has more sense than to think you fence a pasture with chain link. Where are you from?

More "local shopping"? We need more shopping like The Pavilion needs another shoe store. There is no place in the county that a person with a car can't get to more than adequate shopping within 15 to 20 minutes. If you need a car you can get that here. If you need something not sold in any of our stores, you're in the wrong neighborhood.

Bill, I'd just about bet my pension you're not from Fayette County. If a five-acre lot is a waste of land, get out of that drive-through at McDonald's tomorrow morning and stop in Melear's for a real breakfast. Go to the long table on the far left of the room and see how many of those men will endorse your concept of neo-traditional high density housing.

We can agree on one thing. The rights of the owners must be respected.

Mike Loyd

Fayetteville