The Growth Paradox

The Wedding (yes, I believe I will have to forever capitalize it) is past, and my mind is turning back to all things Morrison Ranch and Gilbert... And one of the first things to meet my eye is an op ed in the AZ Republic about the growth paradox:

Is the explosion of people in the Valley of the Sun the biggest problem we face?

For many, growth is an enormous issue. And never more so than when it affects us personally.

Oh, on the big screen of life, being the second-fastest-growing region in America has its upside. For one thing, it means we're thriving economically. Arizona's population is projected to increase by 83 percent by 2025, to more than 10 million people, mostly because those new arrivals see more opportunity here than they did . . . wherever.

The problem is that while the thrill of making a new life in the desert may be fine for the other guy, that's not necessarily so for those already here.

A recent survey by Valley Forward, a public-interest organization, confirms what most anyone trapped in a freeway traffic jam already knew: We don't care much for growth when it disturbs our current quality of life.

The study, conducted by WestGroup Research, found that 72 percent of Valley residents view sprawl as either a big or moderate problem.

In fact, we don't much like efforts to ameliorate sprawl, either, according to the research. A still larger percentage of the 400 residents surveyed - 75 percent - said they would oppose high-density development such as apartment or condominium projects in their neighborhoods. Same for smaller lot sizes. Bad, bad, bad.

Read the rest of the piece as it goes into the citizen activism on new projects. I think it is written evenly about the dilemma of appreciating growth but opposing any change in one's backyard. It seems to be human nature.