future shock

Associated Press article in The Union today (from here, under "May 5", click on "New bills signal latest push for tough growth regulations") on (small) plethora of state bills in the pipeline aimed at curbing sprawl/ensuring sufficient water/increasing the % of affordable housing. The most interesting part for us foothillites was down toward end of article:

...a Senate Local Government Committee analysis of the bill (SB898) suggests it could trigger a "land rush" into [nonprime farmland and grazing land] in the state's Sierra and coastal foothills.

Urp.

So it's another one of those moments, like reading about how all our jobs are moving to India; on the whole, it's probably a sensible/thoughtful/equitable shift and the world will be the better for it, but that doesn't mean it's not going to hurt at this end.

If only all the developments could be like the Loma Rica Ranch, the population increase would be a lot more bearable. (homepage, not yet active, will be here)

actually maybe the growth pressures on Calif. will be reduced since the commute from here to India takes so long. And then there's SARS. (BTW here's MedlinePlus on SARS and the future).

p.s. a big THANK YOU to Jean Brook(e?) Dunning for all her work in keeping Loma Rica Ranch from becoming a money-at-all-costs development. We owe you big time...