Developers

At CNPS meeting tonight; speaker mentioned how low the morale of FWS in the Valley is now, constantly under hard pressure from fatcat developers with political cronies. 

For you developers out there, a word to the wise. (You may agree that private enterprise leads and political leaders follow). Also that a good new idea can lead to economic bonanzas--it worked for the Model T and the internet. 

Also that more and more people are able to afford better and better quality in their living environments. Put 2 + 2 together and come up with a better PUD mousetrap and a lot of people stand to benefit majorly, not least you. 

If you had the choice, would you “do the right thing” in your development design, all else being equal, such as: provide a more pleasant living arrangement, higher quality of life, better sense of community, plus be “environmentally friendly,” particularly if all this should command a premium in home values. To do this would you be willing to try something a little outside of the same old same-old? 

If you are looking at a sizeable tract of flat--profoundly flat--land in California, I have an idea for you that is tailored to the San Joaquin and other large valleys. 

You don’t have to be a do-gooder to be innovative and bold and ready to try something that will be praiseworthy as well as lucrative. 

[Lesson of M Shaw] 

And to all you anti-developer types out there, and I count myself a recovering knee-jerk developerphobe as well. Know that whomever you choose to portray as the serpent in the Garden will most assuredly act as such, whether or not that was their original inclination. See me as a ravening wolf and my fangs will drip blood; see me as an ally and I will take you higher than ever. Suspend you fear, bring your “enemies” into the fold, and you might see miracles. Couldn’t hurt to try--God knows we’ve tried it long enough the other way.