Development !!

[N Florida Mike]

I was born and raised in North Florida. There is something that I have been trying to get my head wrapped around for a while now. When I was growing up in the 60's and 70's , Florida was still a wilderness and had comparitively little development. In my area, there was a 30 mile gap of woods between Jax. and st augustine. My dad would take me fishing at St augustine and once we left home it was nearly undeveloped all the way. Beaches were completely uncrowded, even in summer.

We got our bearings from big blocks of woods followed by a rare road through it. In other words, we might say " Did we pass Pine Island road yet ? " And the answer would be " No, it's after this wood line " Now, with so much development, I cant hardly tell where I'm at, so I started using gps if Im trying to find a specific location.

The area Im referring to is southern duval and northern st Johns counties. It was our " outback" . People had hunted and ran dogs in it probably for at least 200 years. Now all thats in the past. When we were growing up, it was comforting to know it was out there, and all the wild critters with it. Bears, panthers, Bobcats, wild hogs, deer, areas so thick humans had to avoid.

It was open too, we would just go out and mud bog, cruise the roads at night, spot light deer etc. and rarely see any one else out there. Locations were known by swamps we had to cross, a wood bridge over a creek, a large tree, etc. We got a lot of our identity from that.There was a southern culture and dialect with this too , that  is rapidly disappearing. To me, it's very sad. With each generation of old timers dying, and newcomers coming, it's all being watered down and rapidly changing. The old culture is almost gone.

That being said, Im not a tree hugger. I just hate to see SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT !!! I believe people should be able to buy land and according to the law, develop it. These beliefs pull me both ways.

I have started contemplating a move, but I really cant go anywhere. At least I have my lake I can fish on !!

Just wanted to vent. Maybe some of y'all are experiencing this too.

 

[Gundog]

I know how you feel. Even though I live in an area that is still pretty rural, the areas I use to hunt when I was a kid are now off limits because of housing and other developments. I don't hunt anymore but I see land that was part of my childhood going away. Going to my Uncle's place last year I noticed the mountain we use to hunt deer on was posted. This year they stripped all the trees off the mountain. Not sure what they have planned for it but its a shame to see what it has become. I, like you @N Florida Mike believe in people being able to build businesses to employ people. Its the American Way. But I lament the lose of a place that was part of a very good time in my life. 

[Heartland]

It is sad but it is the way things have always been.   The generations before you probably had this same conversation about highways, streetlights, paved roads, and fancy people flying in those airplanes.   What you are feeling is natural, as so is what you are experiencing.   Our world is continually evolving, it happens over thousands of years, and our life span is so short we never truly get to appreciate it as much as we should.

[12poundbass]

I live in a rural community, always have always will. However the area I work in is blowing up like crazy! It is pretty sad to see all this land being bulldozed and turned to strip malls and housing developments. All the land development keeps me really busy at work but I also hate to see all the habitat be wiped out.

[NYWayfarer]

Someday people will be having the same conversation about Mars...

[N Florida Mike]

Its just so...drastic. Whenever I go by a place out there I havent been in a month or so there will be another development starting by then. I then sometimes think of a memory that happenned there or try to figure out what dirt road went through there when it was woods. They are even building condos out there , and just opened a wal mart. And SOCCER FIELDS . ? At least they are supposedly going to build a bass pro shops .

[soflabasser]

The population increase and urban development in Florida will continue to increase since so many people are moving to Florida. Not much we can do but adapt to the new conditions since it seems everyone wants to either visit Florida during the winter or live here. We have the same problem in South Florida and it seems like more and more people from northern states are moving every year. I understand why they move since they have bitter cold winters and that must get old quickly after living most of their life dealing with snow. Some of the worst drivers I have seen have out of state license plates and many of these people have an extremely aggressive style of driving in South Florida. I see more people speeding (common to see people drive +90 mph in highways of Florida), more people taking turns without a turn signal, more people cutting others off, more car accidents, more traffic now compared to just 5 years ago. With that said I still prefer living in Florida since the benefits far out weight the negatives.

[Sam]

Yes, we are experiencing it in Virginia, too.

 

Too many individuals looking at open spaces and seeing the areas based on the "income value" of the land.

 

What I mean is that you can value land and real property in a number of ways and the "income value" means the land is prime for producing income producing properties via rental income for the investors.

 

We have a saying in the Richmond area that "if you see a blade of grass, put  up another apartment complex."

 

What the local political leaders are realizing is that apartment buildings do not produce the income of businesses and you need the businesses to support the increasing population in a specific area. You also need improved roads, parking areas, and law enforcement/fire/EMS services based on growing populations.

 

What is gut wrenching is to see the developers destroy a pond or lake to build their frame idols. Other than for water retention necessary for the property's development the developers could care less.

 

Sad state of affairs but that is life.

[Oregon Native]

Oh my...this is a conversation that a person could spend hours on the front porch talking about.  Land...drivers...respect...values...country...times are sure changing.  I'm glad to be here today so that I can pray for my kids about tomorrow.  I do not envy them.  Believe some trying times ahead....but then...what did they think 200 years ago too.