Comments from Chris: April 4, 2007

Interesting events have transpired in the past week. According to many, the most important decision for Shasta County’s future has been made.

Somehow, I think it is only one of many to come in the next few years.

Another very important decision on the immediate horizon is regarding the next 30 years in the form of the “gravel pit.”

And yet another decision that looms is better known as the North Fork Ranch development.

Even more development will come. At this point in time, you can’t even imagine what it will consist of.

Should we stop this onslaught of commercialism and development to maintain our “quality of life?” By doing so, do we destine ourselves to a poorer lifestyle, declining social services and shabby infrastructure?

Development is what provides our growing communities with police and fire protection. It provides us with community health programs and family and youth programs. It paves our streets and provides us with the niceties of society.

Consider what we have been able to accomplish with the “development” of the Wal-Mart corporation. It has provided tax dollars to help Anderson and the South County to expand budgeting plans (and hopes) for the next several years.

Wal-Mart doesn’t look so bad now. It’s too bad that other communities haven’t been able to recognize the good that has come from them becoming a part of the community.

What’s the answer? You’ll never get anyone to agree on that one. Everyone does agree that “smart development” is the key. But everyone has his or her very own opinion of what “smart development” consists of, and none will sit down and even try to agree.

Let’s face it, this county’s residents thrive on individuality and personal freedoms; we’re the last of the true pioneers.

But many different factions are going to have to learn to compromise or we’ll be losers all the way around. Without compromise we’ll either be poor as church mice or we’ll lose the personality of our far northern California lifestyle.

Development along a freeway interchange is to be expected. Freeways bring commerce, commerce brings tax dollars.

If there is to be no auto mall at the Knighton Road interchange, what will go there? It could be something better or worse than an auto mall, but it will be commercial.

When, and if, a specific plan is developed for Churn Creek Bottom, the planners will have to take into consideration that there is a finite number of those interchanges left in Shasta County and decide if some additional tax dollars are worth the sacrifice for the “quality of life” and who will eventually end up paying for it.