Heart of the Triad =Joke of the Triad = Developers Pipe Dream of the Triad = STICK A FORK IN IT

Comments for Guilford County Legislators
February 26, 2009

Thank you, Rep. Jones and Guilford legislators, for providing citizens the opportunity to speak to you.

I am the fifth-generation owner/operator of a North Carolina Century Farm. There are three other working Century Farms in my immediate family, and I operate two of them as well.

Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler recently noted that agriculture and related businesses generate more than $70 billion to NC’s economy annually. NCSU economist Michael Walden stated that “it is a very consistent, stable part of our economy.” The ingenuity and adaptability of NC’s farmers should be applauded.

Sadly, NC leads the nation in the disappearance of farmland with over 600,000 acres lost the last five years. Farmland is our state’s most valuable, economic resource and our most important environmental purifier. Too often it is succumbing to ill-advised land use and transportation policies resulting from the undue influence of property developers, corporate interests, and the lack of transparency in land-use and transportation planning. Recklessly promoting development of our land described as “vacant” and “undeveloped” as the best means to achieve economic growth diminishes the public trust, threatens private property rights, and agricultural and environmental vitality.

Locally, Heart of the Triad (HOT) is a development plan promoted by special interests designed to reward governments and businesses. Claiming to reduce sprawl and congestion, its desired new highways called developmental corridors will only produce more of it. David Taylor of HDR Engineering that produced the Preferred Concept told me that “Farms were not an option” in HOT. How will HOT’s desired intense development possibly improve a non-attainment air quality status in the Triad and protect three watersheds while producing up to 5000 more acres of lost farmland?

The corporate alliance formed by Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) and local Chambers of Commerce that raised money from businesses interested in seeing this area develop separated residents from this process, subjected residents to the decisions of seven governments while being constituents of only one, and have disenfranchised HOT residents from local representative government.

Being only a concept, Heart of the Triad is not a place, project, or a legal entity. It has no money, no power, and no authority to do anything. Therefore, I request that you and the General Assembly deny funding for HOT and encourage local governments and residents to engage in transparent, ethical planning for the area. If the local governments were not willing to help fund HOT, why should state taxpayers fund it?

I also request that the General Assembly reform the statute, article 27, GS 160a that established PART and granted it the authority to perform regional land-use planning for economic development. This is an improper power to grant an unelected agency that is unaccountable to voters. PART would better serve the taxpayers of the Triad and state by focusing on efficient mass transportation solutions.

By using conservation planning methods to produce land-use and transportation plans, we can protect the sustainability of our agricultural economy and the environment and allow economic growth. Plans produced by local planning staffs with citizens’ input requiring elected officials to be held accountable to voters will enhance Commissioner Troxler’s efforts to preserve farmland with much less cost to taxpayers.

Protecting our natural assets will ensure that our legacy will be honored because of what we leave behind, and not vilified because of what we destroy.

Jimmy Morgan

PORKER OF THE MONTH GOES TO SENATOR JOHN KERRY

Porker of the Month is a dubious honor given to lawmakers, government officials, and political candidates who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers.

Porker of the Month: Sen. John Kerry

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has named Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) Porker of the Month for his arrogant rationalization of why the American people cannot be trusted with their own money. On February 6, Sen. Kerry spoke on the Senate floor in support of the $787 billion economic stimulus package. In his speech he said, “I have heard a lot of talk about we ought to do a tax cut…If you put a tax cut into the hands of either a business or an individual today, there is no guarantee they are going to invest their money…in the United States. They are free to go to invest anywhere they want, if they choose to invest…The fact is none of those people are guaranteed to invest that money in any of the new projects that we are. So government, yes government, has the ability to be able to make a decision that the private sector won’t necessarily make today.” For his casual infantilization of American taxpayers and for being the chief spokesperson of the new Nanny State on Steroids, CAGW names Sen. Kerry the February Porker of the Month. Read more about the Porker of the Month

Rock 92.3 + Ultimate Album Side + Wednesday 2:00 pm = Keith Brown's Favorite Band

Classic Rock 92.3 has a daily contest where loyal P1 and other listeners have a chance to submit their ultimate album that they would like to hear on Rock 92.

It so happens that Weather Dave Aiken has picked my ultimate album which will be played this Wednesday at the 2:00 pm. hour of the day. Hope you like to hear the sounds of my favorite band GENESIS CLICKHERE for the official Genesis site.

I hope you enjoy listening to my ultimate album side and also got a free t-shirt and a Papa John's Party Pack.Thanks DBC

If you would like to send in your ultimate album side just click on the title above or CLICKHERE

Enjoy the sounds of Genesis.

Robbie Perkins 4 Conflicts of Interest and had Partner in Over Development Crime Matheny on 2 of Them

Robbie Perkins had to abstain from 4 items on the agenda for the Greensboro City Council on Tuesday February 17, 2009 with one being a story that has been reported before on Triadwatch CLICKHERE with the title"Greensboro City Council Member Robbie Perkins and local developer are Ethically Challenged", where Robbie Perkins is the leasing agent for Center Pointe, see picture above.

The Greensboro City Council needed to vote again on Roy Carroll's building encroaching into the sidewalk in downtown Greensboro because Roy Carroll renamed the project Park View Development. The funny aspect was to hear Robbie Perkins actually ask the city attorney Terry Wood since my company is the leasing agent for this project and he said ," Does that constitute a conflict of interest" . Well Robbie Perkins I would hope so, good lord did you take a class at Fuqua called the art of no conflicts in local government.

There was also a piece of property off of old randleman road that wants to be annexed into the city of Greensboro with a rezoning case to come up next month, here is what the councilman had to say.

"My real estate company has a listing on this property and I think it is under contract and have a direct financial interest and need to abstain. "Then Councilwomen Groat wanted to know about this property because there was a person who is none to happy with this case coming up in front of council. Will keep you informed on this rezoning next month.

Then at the end of the council meeting the city of Greensboro had 2 resolution's to have an agreement with Guilford County to add sewer and water to the Northwest campus for GTCC. This agreement's would cost the city of Greensboro $2,083,534 with the county picking up $2,825,397.

Then come to find out they are bringing water and sewer to a part of the city where it looks like Robbie Perkins and partner in over development crime Councilman Zack Matheny had to abstain from the vote because of financial ties to land speculation done by both Robbie Perkins and Zack Matheny which has been reported before on Triadwatch CLICKHERE with the title "Highway 68 North + Anonymous Investors +Zack and Robbie = Ethical Problems".

Councilman Zack Matheny contemplated for about 20 seconds because he is not a part of this development company anymore but who knows what you were a part of to begin with.It is time for Zack MAtheny to come clean on his ties to this development company you were a part of last year. This is the kind of cozy relationship's between developers and city council members that needs to be transparent for all to know and see.

These items and plenty other conflicts of interest need to stop and the only way to do that is to vote these ethically challenged city councilmen out of office come fall.There could be a recurring theme come fall where the citizens can get their council back and have a

"DUMP THE DEVELOPER PARTY ON ELECTION DAY"

with a trifecta of developers on council to vote out of office in Perkins, Matheny and Groat.

Heart of The Triad meeting that got no reports from local media

Below the fold is the minutes from the January 2009 meeting of the Heart of the Triad or click on title above then go to January 2009. It is amazing that not many local papers are writing about this group but everyone needs to look at the long term effects of what they want to do with this land between High Point and Kernersville.

One of the most interesting aspects of what happened during the meeting was to hear the question from Latimer Alexander a High Point City Council member who asked the committee this" if the document would override existing land use plans if approved by other elected bodies." Dick Hails explained that if
adopted, the document would be one of many tools used in the land planning process.
Then Robbie " Pave It " Perkins Greensboro City Council member who is ethically challenged even being on this board also piped in with this comment to everyone," we must have regional cooperation between local elected bodies in order to promote a positive image for the area to become economically attractive."

As you can see the High Point City council member wanted to know that their land use rules and regulations would not be superceded by this document from the Heart of The Triad. It is like how the Greensboro City Council has these 2025 plans for land use in Greensboro but never go by them and rezone the property any way .

Here is the rub when it comes to this Heart of the Triad deal does the City of High Point and Kernersville want to give up their rights to land use plans for their cities for some pipe dream of a regional plan brought together with questionable motives because as Triadwatch has stated before on Heart of the Triad who controls the sewer and water in the area that would be High Point and Kernersville. Any talk of how this area should grow needs to be up to those 2 municipalities.

There is also another aspect of this meeting that came out in that the Piedmont Triad Partnership is working on a PTIA/Aerotropolis project, Robbie Perkins let that out of the bag now we will want to have 2 aerotropolis in the same vicinity of each other and Robbie Perkins want regional cooperation and we come to find out that the airport wants it's own aerotropolis. Amazing how that works out for the people who live out near the airport, cardinal area watch out for what is coming your way and all you have to do is look how fleming road is coming along.

HERE IS THE MINUTES BELOW THE FOLD

________________________________________________________

Heart of the Triad Strategic Planning Committee

January 21, 2009

Strategic Planning Committee Members Present:
Richard Linville, Forsyth County Commissioner
Robbie Perkins, Greensboro City Council
Ray Combs, Town of Oak Ridge
David Rowe, Town of Oak Ridge (alternate)
Dana Caudill Jones, Town of Kernersville
Evelyn Terry, Winston-Salem City Council (alternate)

Others Present:
Brent McKinney, Executive Director PART; Paul Norby, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning Director; Lee Burnette, City of High Point Planning Director; Lisa Chislett,PART; Jeff Hatling, Community Development Director, Town of Kernersville; Paul Johnson, High Point Enterprise; Dick Hails, Planning Director, City of Greensboro; Bill Bruce, Guilford County Planning Dept.; Randy McCaslin, City of High Point; Gayle Anderson, Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce; Latimer Alexander, High Point CityCouncil; Lydia McIntyre, Greensboro MPO; Stuart Parks,Stakeholder Committee member/Forsyth County-Residential Development; Homer Wade, Stakeholder Committee member, Guilford County Commercial Development; Ricky S. Idol, Forsyth and Guilford property owner; Rob Bencini, Guilford County; Bruce Boyer, Kernersville Chamber of Commerce; Jimmy Morgan, Stakeholder Committee member/resident;Joanne Morgan, resident; Doris Chappell, Stakeholder Committee member/resident;
Blake Cox, Stakeholder Committee member/resident; Dr. Pat Schreiber, Stakeholder Committee chairperson/resident; David Ceiner, Stakeholder Committee member/resident; Chris Frantz, Stakeholder Committee member/resident; Rafe &Marianne Royle, residents; Cathy Poole, resident.

Co-Chairman Richard Linville called the meeting to order.
Minutes.

Co-Chairman Linville asked for any comments on the October meeting minutes.

If no corrections were needed, he asked for a motion of approval.
Motion by: Robbie Perkins to approve the October minutes.
Second by: Ray Combs.
Vote: Unanimous.

Paul Norby gave an overview of the agenda and status of the study/planning process to
date.
He also reviewed the Vision Statement and the Draft Assurances.
2Discussion of Goals and Objectives.

Lee Burnette reviewed the draft Goals and Objectives for the plan. The set of
assurances and goals and objectives contained in the document will serve as the
guidelines for the Heart of the Triad project planning process. He stated that the document had been discussed and approved by the Planning Directors and the Stakeholders Committee. The combined efforts of both committees created one document for presentation to the SPC. Mr. Perkins praised the document and expressed appreciation to both committees for working together.
Mr. Combs liked the document but also wanted to include planning for public schools in the area.

Mr. Perkins suggested involving the group working on the PTIA/Aerotropolis project through the Piedmont Triad Partnership office in the planning process. He noted that PART is also continuing work on the Seamless Mobility project for regional public transportation and working on a multi-modal regional transportation facility project.

Audience members asked if the public would have an opportunity for input during the process. Mr. Norby stated that there will be scheduled public input meetings and the planning directors and Stakeholder Committee members will continue to work together on details of the project including a schedule of events.Dr. Schreiber stated that the committees had worked many hours and closely together to present one document.

Ms. Terry asked about the reference to “governance” in the goals and objectives. Mr.Norby explained that it was included to reiterate that there would not be another layer of government in the area.

Latimer Alexander, High Point City Councilman, asked if the document would override existing land use plans if approved by other elected bodies. Dick Hails explained that if adopted, the document would be one of many tools used in the land planning process.Mr. Perkins stated that we must have regional cooperation between local elected bodies in order to promote a positive image for the area to become economically attractive.

Motion by: Ray Combs to adopt the presented Goals and Objectives document
with the inclusion of additional language to include the public schools.

Second by: Robbie Perkins.
Vote: Unanimous.

Audience member, Cathy Poole, asked the SPC to formally adopt the American
Planning Association ethical principals in planning. Co-Chairman Linville stated, as previously discussed at length on June 3, 2008, each member of the SPC is appointed by an elected body and is accountable to that body and to the electorate. In addition,each member as an elected official takes an oath of office and is subject to state laws and jurisdictional ethical policies. If anyone feels a member has violated ethical principals they are subject to, they should discuss information regarding such with the City or County Attorney of that jurisdiction.
3Mr. Combs asked that a letter be written to Forsyth and Guilford County school
superintendents regarding inclusion in this process.Future SPC meeting date will be announced later.

Motion by: Robbie Perkins to adjourn the meeting.
Second by: Ray Combs.
Vote: Unanimous.
.

High Point Furniture Market Special NCDMV License Plate Bill Has Been Filed

State Senator Don Vaughan and State Senator Katie Dorsett have filed Senate Bill #132 titled "High Point Furniture Market Special Plate". Above is the logo from the High Point Furniture Market for the upcoming market and hopefully this won't be the logo on the special plate you can buy from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. If you want to see the bill click on the title above or here is what the bill says below.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO PRODUCE A SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE COMMEMORATING THE ONE HUNDRETH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(53a) High Point Furniture Market 100th Anniversary. – Issuable to the registered
owner of a motor vehicle. The plate shall bear the phrase "High Point
Furniture Market 100th Anniversary" and the emblem of the High Point
Market. The Division must receive 300 or more applications for the plate
before it may be developed."
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.

Neighborhoods For Sale , Cash, Clout, Campaign Contributions and Stacking Commissions with Developers Sounds Familiar

Below the fold is a 8 part article on Neighborhoods For Sale Chicago style by the Chigago Tribune.If you would like to see all the articles CLICKHERE or click on the title above. Great investigation by the Chicago Tribune, these are the kind of stories that make you want to shake your head and say enough is enough time for a changing. This needs to stop.
________________________________________________________

In an unprecedented investigation, the Tribune analyzed a decade of zoning changes to detail how real estate interests have funneled millions of dollars to the aldermen who dictate what can be built. The series has examined how aldermen ignore city planners and frustrated residents as they frequently permit new and bigger buildings that leave neighbors in their shadows. The series so far:
Part 1: How cash, clout transform Chicago neighborhoods click title
Tribune investigation:
DEVELOPERS: Many give to aldermanic campaigns in quest to build bigger, pricier projects.
ALDERMEN: They decide who can build what. Money, not planning, often drives process.
HOMEOWNERS: They are often left out of the decision-making and boxed in by towering structures.

Part 2: Community input an illusion click title
Tribune investigation:
ALDERMEN: They decide who can build what. Money, not planning, often drives the process.
ADVISORY GROUPS: Billed as neighborhood's voice, they are often stacked with developers.

Part 3: A curious tale of two properties click title
Tribune investigation:One parcel was owned by friends of Mayor Daley. One wasn't. Guess which rezoning request was OKd?

Part 4: He zones. She sells. And it's legal. click title
Tribune investigation:Alderman OKd zoning for developers who retained his wife as sales agent. She sold homes worth $22 million.

Part 5: Who calls the shots in your backyard? Not you. click title
Tribune investigation: In a system city officials call a national model, aldermen collect campaign donations from developers. Developers benefit from looser building rules approved by aldermen. And residents?

Part 6: Congressman's $200,000 loan click title
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez's loan from a developer who contributes to his campaign raises questions about how clout drives the city's zoning system

Part 7: Gutierrez cashes in with donors click title
Many are done with campaign contributors

Part 8: House of cards emerges in zoning-change game click title
TRIBUNE ANALYSIS: Market collapse is aggravated by system where aldermen benefit from campaign donations from developers

American People Don't Care About The Pork, Senator Schumer YES WE DO

THINK NOT SENATOR SCHUMER

REBIC the TREBIC of Charlotte is Having Hard Times is TREBIC Next

Mary Newsom has a blog in Charlotte called "The Naked City", which talks about growth in Charlotte region CLICKHERE with a post on January 29, 2009 titled "Job Losses at REBIC"

Here is a quote from a commenter on the post,"Forgive me if I have a hard time feeling any sympathy for the clowns at REBIC. The irony of REBIC, as well as its subsidiaries such as the homebuilders associations, is that not only have they harmed - perhaps irreparably - our communities and our very society, they have thrown their own members under the bus too."Rick B . He also adds 6 more paragraphs to his very strong comments about REBIC.

REBIC CLICKHERE is the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (REBIC) is an organization of trade associations and private firms formed to take collaborative action on issues of concern to its members in real estate sales, building, development, finance, management and leasing. REBIC is composed of coalition association members in Charlotte, NC and the surrounding region.(source their web site)

Now let's look at Guilford County where we have the same dubious organization called TREBIC which stands for the Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition. CLICKHERE

The Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition is a Guilford County organization of trade associations and business formed in 1999 to take collaborative action in issues of concern to their broad membership engaged in real estate sales, building, development, finance, management and leasing.(source web site).

To see first hand how TREBIC wanted to deny the citizens of Greensboro a basic right in regards to Protest Petitions in the zoning process and to hear their lame presentation in front of the Greensboro City Council it might be time to say good bye to TREBIC or to expose all TREBIC members and where they are on all of these boards and commissions and campaign contributions to local politicians for all to see.

As David Wharton pointed out in his presentation to Greensboro City Council on Protest Petition about the total influence of TREBIC, here is the link to that post from David Wharton CLICKHERE with a title "Protest Petition Passed City Council. On top of that David Wharton also had a ripping of TREBIC and their influence in this post CLICKHERE title "More on Protest Petitions".

We will see what the future brings to the people of Guilford County but organizations like TREBIC are part of the problem not the solution.

The elections in Greensboro will be this fall and you might see a total transformation of council members with a great slogan for those candidates who want to use this on their campaign materials come this fall.

"DUMP THE DEVELOPER PARTY ON CITY COUNCIL"

It will be a interesting fall election but hopefully there will be candidates who will work for the people not the special interest as we have seen lately.

NEWSBUSTED on TRIADWATCH for 2/03/2009 STOCKS TANKED IN JANUARY

Newsbusted is new for 2-3-2009 click on video above.
Topics in today's show: Stocks tanked in January, Steelers win Super Bowl, Obama tries to walk through a window, and McDonald's makes $