Last December, the new TVA Board of Directors got it right. They approved a new policy effectively banning the sale of TVA’s 293,000 acres of wilderness lake front property to residential or commercial developers. The property is a portion of the land purchased (read “taken” under threat or use of eminent domain) from our fellow citizens starting about 75 years ago for public purposes. These citizens, and likely legislators and courts, were told these lands would be flooded or otherwise unusable.
Today the property is dry. It is gold to developers, who want to buy it on the cheap and develop exclusive lake front resorts, communities, and shopping centers. They’ve been doing it for years and now needless to say, they are not exactly thrilled.
But they’re not the only ones. City halls and courthouses around the valley are up in arms over the “loss of economic development opportunity.” You can substitute “loss of tax revenue.” You see, as long that property remains in TVA hands, it is not taxable by local entities. In addition, the swank improvements made by developers would exponentially increase that revenue.
And some in Congress aren’t exactly comfortable with it either (see Dectaur Daily News).
But for all the politicians and big money set against it, 92% of the 5,000 comments received by TVA supported the ban (see The Chattanoogan).
I’ve supported the ban for this reason: Developers are ruining the quality of life in Tennessee. I said it. Tennessee’s lakes and wilderness areas are special places supporting diverse wildlife. And at least for this writer, they melt away the stress of traffic jams and long lines. Both are products of developers. But all they see are dollar signs.
Today, some of our most scenic views are threatened by developers. Areas like Millken’s Overlook at Fall Creek Falls State Park, Stone Door Natural Area at South Cumberland State Recreation Area, and all around Radnor Lake could look very different in 2007.
But for now, it won’t happen on TVA land.
If you support the ban on the sale of public property for private development and you are in the Tennessee Valley, let the TVA Board of Directors and Executive Leadership know they made the right decision. Be sure to back them up with a call to your congressmen who are members of the TVA Caucus. And when you do, post a comment and encourage others to do likewise!
And to my computer programming brethren, this applies to real-estate developers, not all you software developers out there.