Monday, March 16, 2009

Teton Springs: The Antithesis of Smart Growth


According to wikipedia................

Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in the center of a city to avoid urban sprawl; and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, mixed-use development with a range of housing choices.

Smart growth values long-range, regional considerations of sustainability over a short-term focus. Its goals are to achieve a unique sense of community and place; expand the range of transportation, employment, and housing choices; equitably distribute the costs and benefits of development; preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources; and promote public health.


Teton Springs, like Huntsman Springs, Rim Rock Estates and Teton Reserves, was brought to us courtesy of the sub-prime mortgage fiasco and the lack of due diligence by our very own City of Victor and Driggs Planning and Zoning. Responsible development this is not!

But I should let you be the judge. What follows is a photo journal of the houses (less than 10% are actual homes) I went past last week when I took my dog for a run around this pretentious development. I went there because I could be certain my dog was in no danger of being hit by a car if I ran with her off-leash.

Empty, construction incomplete.
Why do so many Americans feel they need and are entitled to a minimum of, say, 6,000sf for their family ? Especially if they can't afford it.

Vacant, sits on over an acre of former farmland and wildlife corridor.

Deserted AND ugly.

Not a single family living in this row of houses.

Yep, you guessed it.......Uninhabited. Every. Last. One.

Thank goodness each of the newly elected commissioners also happens to sit on the board of the non-profit Valley Advocates for Responsible Development. I imagine these eyesores will cease to pop up in every conceivable open space,

2 comments:

Tim Larsen Photography said...

So what's happening with those homes? Are they for sale? If so, at what price?

wendy said...

sitting empty and most going into forclosure with the auctions happening in May. They start at about 400K and go up about 2 million or so. You know, the working man's cozy little neighborhood.