Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Midland is growing, however...


In Midland news: the City Council just passed zoning ordinances for Hwy 191 between Midland and Odessa. The thought is there to make as much of it "retail" as they can, so it doesn't end up a giant warehouse-looking district like Bus. 20 south of the airport.

Problem: 191 isn't ready to go retail.

There are no sewer or water utilities, no electric or gas, no nothing... really. It's raw land!! There are some buildings there now, couple churches, some homes scattered here and there. And of course, the new Fine Arts facility for UTPB is going up and looking good!

But tell me this, how would a retailer like Stripes, Gander Moutain, Marshalls, or anyone else build out there, when there is no water, elec., or sewer to tie into? A few landowners have voiced their opinion that the city is "putting the cart before the horse." And they are correct. The Mayor would like us all to believe that the council is "listening" to the public and citizens of Midland. Well, it is one thing to LISTEN. It is another thing to HEAR... and HEED.

The council did what they wanted when Midland Christian School expanded. They did what they wanted with the hospital expansion. They did what they wanted when Blue Ridge Apts. built COUNTER to passed P & Z plans. And yet all of this moved forward and left forgotten.

Same thing here with 191. People are allowed their say, voice their opinion, tell us your concerns... then we'll get involved, call public meetings, run around a few more months and then go ahead and do whatever the hell we want to anyway.

Diplomacy in action.

Now, granted, not everyone on the council is to blame. But the guilty parties know who they are. And you can NOT tell me I'm wrong in this. You can argue this and that, but the bottom-line is: this is all TRUE.

Still doubt me? Drive down Interstate 20 from Rankin Hwy heading east. See all the buildings? No? That's because this has all happened before. Utilites were planned for this area of the Interstate years ago. It never happend. There are no utilites... and the land is worthless to anyone that cannot afford the hundreds of thousands it would take to bring them in.

THIS... is the future of 191: nada.

Sorry... this really turned into a RANT! I'll try to be a little more positive next time around. Just had to get this off my chest.

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