Our View: Craig, America
July 5, 2008
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Craig Editorial Board
- Bryce Jacobson, newspaper representative
- Jennifer L. Grubbs, newspaper representative
- Bridget Manley, newspaper representative
- Allan Reishus, community representative
- Chris Runyan, community representative
- Ken Wergin, community representative
Craig — Let’s read between the lines.
It would be understandable for the residents of Pine Ridge subdivision to oppose the possible Frazier East annexation if they were concerned about any and all development around their neighborhood.
Most of us likely can relate to people wanting to keep their scenic views and spread out spacing.
That’s kind of why most of us live here.
But that isn’t what Pine Ridge residents are afraid of.
It’s not any and all development; they just want the right kind of development.
And that means no poor people.
At first, there were traffic concerns.
The developers agreed to move commercial real estate away from Pine Ridge and pledged to only develop the annexation if the state allows them to build a southern access on Colorado Highway 13 to divert traffic.
The developers also agreed to build more single-family homes by Pine Ridge, so that those homeowners would have a more contiguous neighborhood behind them.
That wasn’t enough for the residents of Pine Ridge.
At the Craig City Council meeting June 24, protesters from Pine Ridge packed the chambers at City Hall to oppose “affordable housing.”
They would be fine if the annexation developers wanted to build only single-family homes, the kind of “nice place” project that would attract professionals, such as doctors and professors, as one resident put it.
But not affordable houses for the middle class, or those “scum” — as was said on the Daily Press online forum — that might even be below middle class.
We say that’s un-American.
As we gather around this time to celebrate our country’s independence, we should remember that our Founding Fathers fought a revolution against oppressive aristocracies.
Pine Ridge residents — by their comments made in Council chambers — think they have some aristocratic right to that land.
Congratulations to those whose success has allowed them to buy a home with a yard on top of a hill a little ways away from town.
But this success does not mean you can forbid the lowly among us from living near you.
The one single dream of America is that every person has the opportunity to make his or her own way.
The people of Pine Ridge don’t want that. They would rather Craig establish ghettos for the poor and middle class.
Why can’t the city build apartments by Columbine? they asked.
Speaking of Columbine, this development better not have government-assisted housing, they said.
Poppycock.
Never mind that affordable housing is exactly what this community needs to grow and prosper.
Never mind that these residents are putting their own prejudices above the needs of the community and other peoples’ opportunities.
If you’re scared of the poor, move to Steamboat Springs.
This is Craig, America, and we make our own way.
5 July 2008 at 6:59 a.m.
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grannyrett (Anonymous) says…
Do we have enough doctors and professors to make up a neighborhood? What makes the residents of Pine Ridge think they would want to live in such a snobby subdivision? Maybe some professionals like us common folks.
5 July 2008 at 9:04 a.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
OMG, I couldn't leave it alone. I was the one who wrote scum in the forum. Does no one understand satire anymore? I do not live in better than though pineridge. I don't think they could stand me. But the view should have brought up the fact that the planning and zoning commision told the people of pineridge that they could have bought the property if they wanted thus stopping further development. If pineridge wanted they could have formed a home owners assn. and bought the land and kept it for open spaces. No harm no foul.
for once I couldn't agree more with the view on craig america. the cases of the haves and have nots is becoming more common which is sad.
5 July 2008 at 9:30 a.m.
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redneckgirl (Anonymous) says…
The residents of pine ridge already believe they are in a snobby subdivision. The doctors don't want to live there, that’s why they are building that new subdivision up by the new hospital. I looked at a lot up there and was told one of the covenants of that home owners association was that the house I would have built had to have been large and fancy, up to the HOA standards. So, I said forget it because I’m not one to let someone else tell me what to do but I must say that this new subdivision has awesome views of The Ridgeview apartments to their west and Shadow Mountain to their northeast. Yeah, that’s what I want to look at off my back porch in the morning. However, when they started that subdivision, I’m pretty sure that the residents of those apartments weren’t asked for their input or permission for the increased traffic to have a snobby neighborhood above them. The ball rolls both ways, but I also agree with the paper on this one too. I think it’s great that you wrote an article that puts everyone on the same level no matter what kind of dwelling you live in.
5 July 2008 at 6:07 p.m.
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HappyDay_KT (Anonymous) says…
Thank you for finally writing an editoral that takes a stand and sticks to it! I actually enjoyed this artical. It never contradicted former statements within the artical or from former stories. This did not sound like a wishy-washy unprofessional that was too afraid of getting their toes stepped on by the big bad city counsil because you used freedom of speach. I am tired of waisting my time reading all of the published editorals by your staff that beat around the bush. Well done! This was a nice change.
6 July 2008 at 11:16 p.m.
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Globe (Anonymous) says…
Sooooooo……… once again it is a crime in this country to have nice stuff and want to keep it that way? Affordable housing and low-income housing are two sepparate things. Single family dwellings and appartments are two different things. Go ahead and build a set of appartments next to Pine Ridge and you will drive those property values down. Appartments look great the first couple of years they are built, but few slum lords put a dime into their property because the average tenant just destroys it anyway. So in time the complex will be an eyesore and rundown and only attract unsavory individuals because no respectable person would live there, unlike the average home owner who takes pride in his house and tries to maintain it.
Sadly most of Craig residents loves the fact that they have oodles of property rights and their neighbors have no say. Half of the low-income housing has multiple non-running vehicles in the driveways, streets and yards. Lawns are marginally kept if at all. Parking lots are dirty. And more often than not, the property will go years between paint jobs. Pine Ridge residents have no opbjection to home ownership or affordable housing, but opening up that area to a bunch of appartments and other rentables isn't going to solve any housing shortage. At best you will likely have four or five “family” groups living in one unit. The neighborhood won't be as safe or as desireable for the “average” family to live in and they will look elsewhere.
This issue has nothing to do with equality or snobbishness as the paper put it. It has to do with the fact that normal, hard working people invested their life savings into a stupid piece of dirt and they would like it to retain at least some of the qualities that it had when they purchased it. None of us are begrudging a people either home ownership or affordable housing. We do begrudge people who think they are entitled to cheaper housing because they refuse to work a 60 hour week like most of us in Pine Ridge do so we can afford something more than just a double wide in Shadow Mountain. I lived in appartments in my 20s. I didn't like them so I decided to work my tail off so I could live in house away from them. Looks like I'll will have to buy 40 acres and put a big fence around it if that is what I want though, because anything less and I would be call snobish. Thanks for the insite CDP.
7 July 2008 at 6:55 a.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
globe you are right on one hand and I'm not going to say your wrong on the other. I, like you worked my but off to get the things I enjoy. I think everyone has the same rights to get what they want. Not entitled to it but the right to work for it. That being said the residents of pineridge could have bought the property and done whatever they wanted to it. They didn't, so someone else did and now it is their property so its their right to build what they want. I wouldn't wish anyones rights to be stomped on .Thats why when I got the chance to get out of town I did. My right my decision. If this was not about snobishness or the belief of we are better than everyone else then you could have chosen better spokesmen for the protest.
7 July 2008 at 6:58 a.m.
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grannyrett (Anonymous) says…
Globe—There are many hard working people who want a nice home and would work hard at keeping it nice. Just because they don't have collage degrees and make the money you make doesn't mean that they won't take pride in the ownership of their own home. Look around at the yards down from your ivory tower. There are some of the nicest homes and landscaping in town. Just because they aren't in your income bracket doesn't mean they care less about their homes.
9 July 2008 at 11:57 a.m.
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sljsmom (Anonymous) says…
It doesn't really matter where you live, drive around town, 2 nice ( meaning clean maintained ) homes, next house junk ( meaning weed patch lawn various appliances building materials car parts scattered around ). I can think of two residences off the top of my head ( a doctor lives in one a local businessowner the other ) who don't take care of the lawn and have trash piled along the driveway. I don't think it matters what your income is, it's about pride.