It will never end!!
Once the economy slows down people who regulate seem to have free time to advance new rules and regulations. Its a given that when we are all busy with our current work load we don't have time to complain and look for problems, but let the work slow at any government level and all of a sudden we need to correct the systems that are now failing. More regulations, more codes and more costs that are of little benefit to the citizens.
Somehow if someone else is paying that its no big deal to me. Don't we ask ourselves when it will be our turn to suffer the loss of funds due to mandates? Ultimately it is a loss of freedom to somone. Its easy to get jaded about government and regulation when we are shell shocked by just the shear mass of legislation that can be churned out faster than any of us can even comprehend what it means to us.
Yesterday I spent time in Des Moines with some legislators from our area at the State Homebuilders Association legislative reception. I was told by one of our representative that 64 pieces of new legislation had already been intoduced in this early state legislative session. You would think that without funds to spend this year that it might curtail some of the bills, but no the focus is on items that cost the state nothing and onto bills that cost us money for compliance.
I learned that there were many items that even the legislators do not get to debate. Appointed officials can almost single handely make a call on a new code just by their endorcement. Basicly its taxation with out representation. Most of it sounds like good ideas until you dig a little deeper and find that what is shown is only the tip of the ice burg.
Locally we are working hard to get adjustment to the subdiviion ordinance in Cedar Falls. Developers are being told that ground will be taken from them to provide public trails through these private neighborhoods. Worse yet being asked to build the trail and maintain it forever. Homebuilders are for trails and have no objection to that but to ask them to absorb it is not going to happen, all costs are passed onto the homeowner. Trails are good right? ,until they decide that land you have been using needs to be taken for a public purpose and diguese with a terms called easement. Just one of the many expensive and objectionable conditions contained in this ordinance that will reduce to a stand still development in Cedar Falls. Well if this passes don't look for price increase on home building lots.
Oh by the way we haven't even gotten through this issue with the city and a new one has been sent our way called post construction ordiance that we add even more costs. The goal of this one it to eventually make all homeowners maintain the water on their own property up to a rain fall event of 1-1/4" of rain on the site. You will be responsible to change you landscaping is such as way to comply. I have no problem with this either except to say that if its a good thing that it can be maketed so that people desire to do this no forced to make the change. If Cedar Falls is trying to slow or stop development this will get the job done.
More soon watch the local news for additional developments.
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