2.09.2008

Pave Paradise and put up a Parking Lot

In the name of Woods, I beg you! Stop clearing trees for more shopping centers and beige cracker-box vinyl siding houses on postage stamp lots!!!!!!!!!!
Isn't that a lovely reaction to my drive in the "country" today? We wove our way over to Waxhaw (say that sentence three times fast), featuring mostly-enjoyable scenery, some cows, older homes on hills...but my oh me. They have basically sheared the stretch of land between Historic Downtown Waxhaw and Marvin road. Waxhawians (?) certainly should have some amenities, as their ranks threaten to take over the world...but does every corner have to be a Target-RackRoom-Michaels comporium? On a two lane road that's the only way and the only way out? I'm not even a city planner by trade, and I can tell you this is all adding up to be a great big mess. I was ever-so-sad to drive by a friend of mine's road, which used to be hard to find "go over the bridge, pass the murky forest, and turn right at the cupboard shop." Some mean bulldozer has eliminated the murky forest for what I'm assuming will be a Super Target. (for the record...LOVE Target) But the price of growth there seems far too high. I am sad for the people who moved to the sticks over 20 years ago and now find their beautiful Tara-like home overlooking the Harris Teeter/CVS flourescent show.
We will look back on this era of expansion when everyone deserved a Harris Teeter (grocery, in case you don't live around here) within four minutes of his/her home...and be sad that we paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Especially as we gasp for breatheable AIR because the only trees left are in museums!
(rant over, you may now return to your regularly scheduled programming)

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