High Density vs. ...

When I was a young man, just leaving my parents home I found myself living in an apartment. The center courtyard with the pool, is what attracted me to the location - and of course - the price. It was a monthly rent payment that I could well afford.

A few years later, I found myself with a wife, three children, several pets and a few sets of exchange students living under my roof. Of course, the ability to add a backyard pool is what attracted me to the large property which during that time I called home. Luckily I had a level lot that was entirely usable, unlike the rolling landscape we have here in some areas or I would have chosen a 2.5 or 5 acre lot to live the lifestlye that I was able to achieve on only a mere half acre.

Later, after retiring, my wife and I decided to downsize to a much smaller place. We wanted to be closer to our grandchildren, whom have all been raised in the High Desert now called home.

Sometimes less really is more. More time to spend out doing things with friends and family, less time in the yard maintaining a home that was now way too large. More money to spend doing those things, and less spent on the roof we slept under. It was a decision made in the interest of what was best, best for our family and we have never regretted it for a second.

With all these experiences in my life, I find that it is interesting when I am critically attacked for being in favor of "High Density" vs. larger housing lot spaces in regards to the recent changes we have seen in the population growth and all the residential building in this area. Granted, my family is large - but certainly not that large to cause an increase in population over a few thousand!

From my perspective, in all those stages of my life I have found that I have had different needs for my own personal housing requirements. Certainly I can't even imagine that when I first moved from my parents home that I would have needed anything more than a small apartment. High Density was perfect for that stage in my life, as well as I have found it to be suitable in my later years.


Likewise, I have learned that often what stands in the way of the property rights of a land owner is that Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) neighbors are trying to prevent other people from building on their land. As the current Planning Commisioner in San Bernardino County, it is something I deal with on a regular basis. Perhaps someone could please explain to me why one person is entitled to develop the land that they own, but then they feel that it is their right to deny someone else those very same rights?


The population is changing, it is growing in San Bernadino County. Unless we as a society decide to implement drastic measures such as China has to deal with their population growth, we need to plan for it. We need to make certain that we have the neccesary housing to provide shelter for the people whom are migrating up to the High Desert for all the same reasons that we ourselves chose to live here. And the community services that go along with all that change.

A good community accomodates all different lifestyles, and that takes planning.

~Russ