A good problem
Caldwell County is changing, right before our eyes. Long a bedroom community primarily for the furniture industry and associated businesses, the economy and demographics will never be the same again.
Because we are rapidly changing, the county is on the verge of adopting a long-term land planning document that will set the tone and help regulate future development.
That's definitely the right idea, and it comes at the right time. Usually it's not until after development has impacted a community for the worse that it realizes better planning would have made a difference. By then it's too late.
Having to manage and plan for growth definitely is a good problem to have - something that plenty of communities would love to trade their problems for.
But coming up with a plan that satisfies the citizenry while still being friendly to the investors and developers who want to do business here is where it gets messy.
Growth and development aren't always good and aren't always bad. In most cases the good and the bad come from how they are managed - whether by the government or those who want to do business here.
Of course you can't trust everyone in the business world or in government to look out for the interests of everyone at all times. It's just not practical.
That's why plans such as Caldwell's “Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan” are necessary.
The county government is asking Caldwell residents to review the document before it is considered for final approval later this month. The commissioners also are asking for suggestions, criticisms and any other comments that will make it better. Those written comments will be accepted at the county offices until Feb. 14. The commissioners' meeting on the land use plan is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18 and the public is encouraged to participate. A copy of the 75-page plan is on the caldwellcountync.org Web site.
So far the only outcry I'm hearing comes from the Patterson-Happy Valley-Yadkin Valley community, which is concerned that the proposed minimum lots size is not large enough to protect the historical and aesthetic value of the unique area. Though minimum lot size may not be the best way to address that issue, or at least the only way, I agree that certain parts of Caldwell County deserve special treatment. Along with Patterson-Happy Valley-Yadkin Valley, places like Globe, Wilson Creek, Edgemont, Mortimer, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake Hickory, Buffalo Cove, the Pisgah National Forest and the downtowns of Lenoir, Hudson and Granite Falls, must be treated as the treasures that they are. That means they can't be painted with the same brush as the rest of the county.
What does this mean to the plan? That's a question only our public servants can answer, but this certainly is our chance to preserve the unique qualities that have made Caldwell County a destination for developers, investors and much-needed commerce.
Caldwell County deserves the benefits that come with growth and development. But it must take responsibility in making sure that it happens in a way that protects the many qualities that make us special.
Or else we'll have a whole new set of problems that no one will be jealous of.
Edward Terry
Editor