08 March 2006

NIMBY Strikes Again



Police and fire department radios don't work well in important parts of Denver, like Cherry Creek, the Denver Tech Center and Stapleton. Solving the problem requires a 200 foot radio tower. Neighbors, predictably, are fighting the tower. Predictably the opposition is being led by the Southmoor Park Homeowners Association, one of those dreadful institutions mentioned in one of yesterday's posts. My City Councilwoman, Kathleen MacKenzie, thinks the issue is a tough call.

I have very little patience for this kind of NIMBY fight. Go ahead, build it my backyard if need be. Neither your property rights, nor the fact that an ordinance currently on the books bans a land use gives you a right to dictate how land that isn't yours will be used. You have a right to compensation for takings of your property, you do not have a right to compensation for anything the government does that happens to impact your property values.

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