Never expected to hear this from you John.

The only HONEST way to fight over development is to have your govt BUY the land, though many hippies in govt will go with the "taking" approach and regulate and zone it to prevent development.

I oppose those measures, we need strong property rights if we want to keep a strong country, and those who paid for the property should have the right to use it and profit from it unless the public wants to compensate them for those rights.

John DL Arendsen - quite a few good suggestions I read. Thanks for asking this question.

Sometimes, we have to do what we have to - and depend on authorities to do right thing. It's going to be an uphill task - however, you can win with persistence.

I wish you all the best for doing the right thing for people and environment.

Good Luck.

In our area they built condos right on the beach - talk about idiotic with no Environemental Impact study!

On something this big, it is not unusual to all agree to have an EIR Environmental Impact Report which explores every consideration and impact for all to see and comment on.

I've found that the only thing the city councils will listen to is the sound of money going into their pockets.  Out here, developers hire the ex-mayor and former city council people to be their "voice" (probably telling them where the envelopes of cash are hidden).

I suggest a VERY public campaign in the papers, news outlets, etc about how it is a raw deal for the people there and how the city leadership has failed you in providing for the safety of it's citizens (road congestion/safety issues).  Seems the only way to get anything done (outside of competitive bribing) is a very public embarassment.

Kauai county got serious about limiting growth decades ago. That's what prevented the overdevelopment seen now in many areas of some other islands.

John,

I agree with you completely. It seems as though some people will not be happy until every square inch of San Diego County is developed. It breaks my heart to see the beautiful rural areas torn up and graded in preparation for yet more cookie cutter sub-divisions. The houses are packed in so tightly with little to no yards, it is truly over-built.

We (residents of Carlsbad) recently stopped the shopping center that was going to  be built on the lagoon, mostly through community involvement, like website campaigns on FB and Nextdoor. 

not yet an issue in my young city, our development is not as mature as some of the older cities so not the same problems yet

    I am a supporter of Private Property Rights.  However, if the infrastructure is not in place, the Developers need to fund it before any permits are issued.

This happened to our community. We went from a dairy land to a community of over 60k within a short period of 10 years. Congestion is a given, however, I prefer to look on the positive side of things. Many first time buyers are now happy homeowners, investing in their equity. It is just what it is...growth in Southern Ca.

Here in DC, there are row houses that have always been single family homes. Developers are snatching them up, adding several stories and turning them into condos.  It's getting interesting.

I see this happening all over the country.  It takes a motivated, vocal and active community to fight this type of development.

John,

Politicians are only thinking of how many more voters they could have if more development is created.  Luckily, our city and county is very strict about that...We were in Newport Beach this week, and I was amazed how much development has happened there and in the neighboring cities...the highrises, etc.  And traffic was no picnic either.  A

I believe the roads are not nearly as large of a problem as is available water and sewer capacity.  Like Joni Michell sang, "The Great Paradise built up a parking lot!"

What will be will be....

Don't like it you can move to another place. Realtors used to move every other year....

Not here

I do not get involved with it. We have good zoning laws.

Proper land planning and zoning are good steps.

There are very few constructions in my hood. The only way to build something new is to demo old buildings. 

If the builder is submitting plans with the guidelines the local government gives them; none.

It is like buying a house; if you have no money involved how will you go forward.