reserved for the few

[johnincolorado]

The Right of Imminent Domain, originally drafted to help the WPA (Depression years) to gain property FOR the use of the many and has since been bastardized by local governments to build a tax base. I hate to admit it but Colorado has taken the lead in use of this law provision. There's a small lake (pond), about 5 acres worth, in Lakewood left over from the building of the freeway. It filled nicely and was stocked by the DOW for the fishing pleasure of the local residents, and anyone else. Now, the city wants it to give to Wal-Mart so they can build yet another Super Wal-Mart, they need it for a parking lot. So, another Imminent Domain filing. But this time, the residents are up in arms over it and are fighting it (stand up and salute them, another David vs Goliath fight). Like my pappy once told me, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog." Some of the locals are in it for the right to keep their little slice of wildlife, others are in it simply because it is a fight against city hall and others are in because they have nothing better to do. I've visited that little lake, I've seen the ducks, geese, trout, ferrrel cats hunting small mice and even a lost deer or two. I can't think of anything that can replace such a scene, not even another strip club. It may be small, it may not be located at 10,000 ft and surrounded by trees but it is close to home, and yes, kids do fish there. After school and on weekends, teenagers have been seen sitting on the bank, tossing in worms or simply throwing metal at them, and having fun while doing it. I think that's better than hanging around looking for trouble. If Lakewood is successful, then all this will disappear and another Wal-Mart will spring up, gobbling up yet another slice of American life. I don't think we need another Wal-Mart or another strip mall for tax dollars.

Unfortunately, Lakewood and Wal-Mart will probably get their way and this unnamed pond will disappear under a layer of asphalt and concrete.
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