12-18-2006, 03:05 AM
Pete,
I think we need to balance the discussion by noting that to maintain the rural and agricultural nature of the district, more intense development will be required in and around current population centers. (This is mentioned but the purpose and location of the more intense development is not laid out). Specifically, with a population expected to approach - if not exceed - 75,000 within 25 years there is a need for sufficient urban cores to accomodate the services AND jobs needed by this population. By focusing this need in and around existing population centers we are able to more of the area rural and agricultural.
I would also point out that while much of the area is suitable for agriculture, some areas have not been actively (successfully) in agriculture at all. There are vast acreages of pahoehoe lands that are so costly to prepare for agricultural use that their agricultural use cannot be justified. Further, some of the areas that are in agriculture have beeen marginally profitable over this expanse - but only becuase individual farmers have been willing to pour heart and soul into them - even though they produce much less than other agricultural lands would with less effort. The problem here is not so much one of land but of what would happen if there were no longer men and women willing to put that level of effort into those lands. Should they be left simply fallow although the culture could no longer produce people willing to cultivate on them?
I think we need to balance the discussion by noting that to maintain the rural and agricultural nature of the district, more intense development will be required in and around current population centers. (This is mentioned but the purpose and location of the more intense development is not laid out). Specifically, with a population expected to approach - if not exceed - 75,000 within 25 years there is a need for sufficient urban cores to accomodate the services AND jobs needed by this population. By focusing this need in and around existing population centers we are able to more of the area rural and agricultural.
I would also point out that while much of the area is suitable for agriculture, some areas have not been actively (successfully) in agriculture at all. There are vast acreages of pahoehoe lands that are so costly to prepare for agricultural use that their agricultural use cannot be justified. Further, some of the areas that are in agriculture have beeen marginally profitable over this expanse - but only becuase individual farmers have been willing to pour heart and soul into them - even though they produce much less than other agricultural lands would with less effort. The problem here is not so much one of land but of what would happen if there were no longer men and women willing to put that level of effort into those lands. Should they be left simply fallow although the culture could no longer produce people willing to cultivate on them?