A day of decision
Dear Editor:
I agree with George Farnham’s letter on one point, we must have an election on the zoning issue. Hopefully, we will object to government control over our property. However, I cannot agree with his desperate plea for no legal action. We must protect ourselves from the unfairness of the Morgan County zoning ordinance, since it does not obey our Constitution or West Virginia law.
The Morgan County Commissioners, in their rush to meet deadlines, have written legislation that places liabilities upon us. They have negligently dismissed my legal objections and, reportedly, objections by their attorney, Mr. Gay. So, in spite of our disliking fire fees, ambulance fees and courthouse taxes, our government wants still more taxes to support its new zoning administration plus more taxes to defend its liabilities for deficient, just plain wrong, zoning legislation.
Will we decide for a wrongly-written, expensive illusion of protection or for freedom? What part of “no new taxes” don’t the commissioners understand? We don’t have the money! Our children won’t either. November 2 will be a day of decision.
All planning commissions begin their zoning considerations out of the well-known box with their unique considerations. As the history of zoning testifies, the idealism of protection always fades into government power, usually abusive and corrupt government power, over us.
Will we decide for illusion of protection when the history of zoning shows the future promises an abusive government? November 2 will be day of decision.
The pro-zoning crowd hard-sells zoning by citing horror stories, like pig farms (which are controlled by existing health and environmental regulations). But this ordinance does not ban them. However, it does put truth in the numerous anti-zoning claims.
Will we believe the pro-zoning hard sell? November 2 will be a day of decision.
A measure of a successful effort in writing the proposed zoning ordinance is its clarity. Can we (being of at least average intelligence) read and understand all of it? No! That is a definition of legally vague. This “flexibility” allows arbitrary decisions and abuse — the other definition of legally vague.
Will we decide for unknown, poorly specified “protection” when zoning administration can abuse us? Will we be able to use our land without an attorney? What part of “leave me alone” don’t the commissioners understand? Vote “no zoning” on November 2.
Eric K. Pritchard
Berkeley Springs
