Culture Clash

I've posted once or twice about how things were when the Mister's family first began farming here and how the transition began from farming community to suburban community. So when I read this article this morning in the AZ Republic, I had to muse to myself, "the more things change, the more they stay the same." Here are the parts that caught my eye:

Chandler Hts. fears urban takeover
Residents fight plans for nearby shops in Gilbert

The Chandler Heights neighborhood a decade ago was the place to go to get away from the big city. Urban dwellers came to the area one by one, lured by mountain views, wide-open spaces and dreams of owning horses and other livestock. Soon, those residents may be forced to share the land.

May I point out that these residents are not being forced to share any land they actually own? This is an age-old question in fast-growing communities: Who gets to shut the door behind them after moving in? Personal property rights issues are very important to most rural folks, and therein lies the rub, so to speak. If I buy land for a view, but I don't buy the land all the way to "the view" to ensure that it will never be obstructed, do I have a right to complain when the person who owns that other land wishes to build something on his property that obstructs my view? Here's the other paragraph that reopened a question:

Another big concern is that development will further shrink the number of acres available for horses, some residents said. Linda Edwards, a planning manager for the town, said Gilbert is trying to develop equestrian trails to accommodate horse owners.

Frankly, I don't know the answer to the horse dilemma; it's a question that our own family has grappled with - where to ride, how to get there, and how safe is it with all the traffic? There is a twelve foot wide trail that runs north and south along the west side of Higley Groves West, and continues along the west side of Higley Estates. This was installed specifically to accommodate horseback riders, and to connect with the Town of Gilbert's Trail System. Yet, I have caught myself tsk-tsking the riders more than once for choosing to ride, not on the 12 foot wide path designed just for them, but to the side of the trail, on the grass that is dotted with sprinkler heads which are easily displaced by a hoof. I think it is very difficult to graciously mix every aspect of the rural and suburban cultures, but perhaps you can see how very important it is to try to hold on to some of the agricultural, rural feel for those of us who were here when Gilbert was very small. This desire is one of the foundational blocks in the theme of Morrison Ranch.