by David Britten
The continued sale of farmland for expansion of housing developments in Gaines Township and neighboring Byron Township is troubling. The loss of rural wildlife areas and their food sources are driving more groundhogs, skunks, deer, and even the rare coyote and fox into the suburban areas. Won’t be long and the migration of bears from the north will make their presence known.
Humans are greedy in many respects, desiring single-family homes with three-stall garages, often on acreage larger than they need just continues the dreaded suburban sprawl. Interestingly, the suburbs closer to the core city (Grand Rapids in our case) are taken over by landlords and lower incomes (nothing wrong with that), while the higher incomes move out further or gentrify the inner city. Addition of road networks and expressways such as M-6 only serve to speed up the sprawl.
There are countless books written on this problem but little seems to be done about it. People are much self-centered and express concern about sprawl, but won’t do much of anything as individuals to slow or stop it.
Anyway, enjoy our second summer this week!
David Briiten is a former principal at Pine Street Elementary in Wayand and retired superintendent at Wyoing Godfrey Lee Schools.
Exactly how is it that “you” get to define a citizens property size?
Or determine the scope of infrastructure that helps people retain gainful employment?
Thank God you’re out of the school system.
And please stay off of my lawn.
Mr. Britten,
Evidently you know nothing of local wildlife, as coyotes are not rare, they are overwhelming fox and love groundhogs, squirrels, rabbits, cats and the occasional pet dog. I know people who hunt them at night using thermal scopes, decoys and calls to entice them into the killing zone. They multiply quickly.
As for urban sprawl, do you live in a house or apartment/condo? In the city or suburb? I would suspect the pay level in the positions you served, a house and a big one with acerage. Pot calling the kettle black?