Some citizens of the quaint town of Summerfield are wary of any development in that community.
So a good number of them didn’t like the news one bit this week that Summerfield businessman, farmer and developer David Couch is planning to build a large residential development called Summerfield Farms Village.
There are a great many details still to be determined regarding the project; however, at a Tuesday, Sept. 22 meeting of the Summerfield Town Council, Couch unveiled his plans to bring in water and sewer from the City of Greensboro and build the village on land he owns – creating lots for hundreds of new homes for the town.
The day after the presentation, Summerfield Mayor BJ Barnes said he was delighted with what he’d seen in Couch’s presentation. He said he was aware that some Summerfield citizens don’t want things to change but he added that Couch’s plans called for an extremely nice residential area that would use open space, trails and other methods to help preserve a lot of the natural beauty of the area.
“It’s a win, win, win all around,” said Barnes, who pointed out that Summerfield would see some controlled growth, Guilford County would see its tax base increase in value and Greensboro would benefit from selling the water.
Barnes has long been an advocate of Summerfield having better options for fire protection and this move would certainly help in that regard, he said.
Barnes said that if some of the critics in town can get past their wholesale fear of change, they’ll realize the benefits.
“If people look at it with an open mind, they will see it’s a good thing,” Barnes said.
He added that this is “a 25-year project,” so there will be time to guide the process in a way that’s beneficial to the town.
Dena Barnes, BJ Barnes’ wife and a woman who’s also served as mayor of Summerfield, said that some people in the town are opposed to all development whatsoever.
“These are people who moved into town and don’t want anyone else to move here,” she said.
Dena Barnes called them NIMBY’s – those who shout, “Not in my backyard!”
If anything is any good, everyone else will join in, and ruin it. Also, what I call “The Rule of the Committee. It is the American way.
A good example is Asheville. Now the city council has passed a reparations bill for the black community – much to the delight of the mainstream media. My thinking is that this bill passed because the city council didn’t want rioters and looters to destroy the inner city charm. Might work, but see what they want next.
The American way for who? Asheville is leading the good cause in finally doing the right thing by African Americans whose families suffered financial and educational harm through years of slavery, uncivil jim crow laws, redlining, jerrymandering, judicial sentancing bias, and many other demons of institutional racism. The European American narrative of the American way has caused great harm over this country’s existence. I am sure Africans brought over in slavery against their will and Native Americans pushed off THEIR land didn’t get the benefits of rule of the committee.
If Asheville goes through with that and does issue checks, I’m moving out there to open up a designer sneaker emporium where one can purchase $10,000 Jordans.
And how is anyone alive today responsible for the actions of those who preceded them? Even others here now?
My suggestion is to stop whining, and get on with it. Even now, everyone in this country has the means to improve their lot in life – if they choose to make the effort.