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Date published: 1/17/2006
Once again, the Save Crow's Nest folks are lamenting that they have not yet been able to buy the property and seek to have the taxpayers do so for them ["A new year is upon us--time to save Crow's Nest once and for all," Jan. 11]. While the change in political leadership for Stafford may have introduced a group more favorable to "saving" Crow's Nest, nowhere do I see a discussion of the property rights that the current owners should be allowed to enjoy without political interference. Regardless of who is in office, there are laws regarding what is left of property rights that even the newbies have to adhere to. Certainly saving a pristine area of land such as Crow's Nest is a laudable goal and one with many benefits. But if you want it so badly, buy it. The real problem is that the group or Stafford County does not have the money to buy it, and so they want everyone to pay for it regardless of whether or not you agree with their position. Because they cannot buy it, they take the legal route because apparently they can afford thousands of dollars for lawyers, which is far cheaper than the property price. And they know that as long as they keep it tied up in the legal system, it cannot be developed. Property owners have lost most of their rights over the years. The Kelo decision was merely the icing on the cake. Private property rights began to be taken away as soon as the first zoning board, the first historical district, the first wetlands board created rules telling you what you can and cannot do with your private property. While I can agree that Crow's Nest should be saved, it should not be by trampling on what is left of the property rights of the owner. There has been more than ample time to raise the money for purchase. My wife and I enjoy 16 acres in King George, and there is very little we can do with it because of existing rules and regulations. I'd say that 90 percent of what would have been our property rights in the late 1700s have been taken away from us. Stephen DespresKing George
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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