After reading Jeff Rea’s column in the Aug. 10 Tribune, I have a few thoughts.
Would Rea welcome such development like a solar farm next to his house or neighborhood? He would have no issues with it?
Does Rea actually think expansion of the new zoning restrictions on solar farms could cause development “to grind to a halt” as he stated?
Why do Rea, and many other people in county government, and a few in the private sector, think that every square foot of property in the county needs to be developed, and that all the ongoing development is good?
Just wondering …
Ken Lubinski
South Bend
A lesson in democracy
The St. Joseph County Commissioners meeting last Tuesday was a lesson in American democracy at its weakest. At stake was an ordinance sure to deter further solar development in the whole county. The people in attendance were mostly in favor of the ordinance. They wanted to protect their homes in North Liberty, a one square mile town where fewer than 2,000 people live.
St. Joseph County itself has nearly 274,000 residents. But because more residents (59) wrote in favor of the ordinance — that will demand a property value guarantee for all homes within one mile of a proposed solar project — than the residents (41) who opposed it, the commissioners passed the ordinance.
So, 59 people who are willing to reject clean energy to protect the value of their homes made a bad choice that will affect all of us and our children and grandchildren. That makes me sad.
I live close to Memorial Hospital; I know about cooperating for the common good: helicopter pad, anyone? And I know home is important. But the planet is home to us all and we need to protect it, too. I hope that solar power projects continue to find a place in our county.
Molly B. Moon
South Bend
‘Nightmare scenario’
Data centers and other high tech investments are being made throughout the northern Indiana area, which is touted as an economic boom by city, county, state and business officials, but I expect there will be severe negative consequences to ordinary citizens. These operations take inordinate amounts of power and water to operate and most take skilled employees many of whom will be from relocations.
What this means to the ordinary citizen is that power and water resources will be stretched and likely require more investment, which in the case of homeowners with wells, may mean drilling a new, deeper well. In any case, much of this of the cost will be borne by ordinary citizens either directly or via utility rate increases.
Increased housing demands could increase property values, allowing assessors to grab more property tax dollars from existing homeowners. On top of that, the resulting artificial intelligence will eventually displace many existing occupations and employees.
As as ordinary senior citizen, living on a fixed income, this is a nightmare scenario. We should expect much more in the way of thoughtful planning for the lives of ordinary citizens from our leaders at all levels of business and government.
Anthony Gianoli
South Bend
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Why the push to develop every square foot of county property? | Letters