Gene Richards: Measure I about Wood Colony; vote no
Measure I, as enumerated on the ballot, is a simple, one-sentence proposition that purports to limit development in a certain area of Stanislaus County, which borders Modesto, without voter approval.
It is unfortunate, but true, that very few voters will actually read the onerous limits and requirements that Measure I would burden the city and county with. The unprinted object of Measure I is to protect Wood Colony from development. But Wood Colony is not under siege. There is no law on the books that require farmers to give up their land – and the next generation might have different ideas. Wood Colony is excellent farm land – but Wood Colony is on a freeway. Freeways mean business.
Over 1 billion acres are in agriculture production in the U.S. Production has tripled in a generation. The next step is high-rise production. Tall buildings with hydroponic farming that produce six crops per year on a tenth of the water. By definition, Urban Sprawl means “uncontrolled expansion.” What the city fathers are trying to do is plan for the inevitable growth of Modesto.
No on Measure I.
Gene Richards, Modesto
This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 6:20 PM with the headline "Gene Richards: Measure I about Wood Colony; vote no."