A Community Activist, Public Citizen, Jim Shilling
From Monday, November 27, 2006
http://knoxindiana.blogspot.com/2006/11/community-activist-public-citizen-jim.html
Please read the paragraph below slowly and carefully. It is the law in our city of Knox. And I think you will be surprised to see how it strongly affects the future of our city.
TITLE III. A
AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT
Section 1. Intended Purposes
The purpose of this zoning district is to conserve and enhance the agricultural use of substantial portions of the City of Knox planning and zoning jurisdiction that now, and for a distant future of time, should have such character, and to prevent scattered, indiscriminant urban development within the agricultural area on sites which presently do not demonstrate any significant potential for urban development. Preservation of large areas of land for agricultural use has been established as a policy of the City of Knox in accordance with the City of Knox Comprehensive Plan. Agriculture includes crops and animal husbandry of all types.
How very strange! This ordinance was supposed to be a city plan. It clearly is an anti-city plan. Below is a detail of the zoning map that showing the south side of Knox. The top of the edge of the map is Culver Road/ Highway 8. The Red zone down the middle is the commercial district on each side on Highway 35. The bottom edge is Toto Road and is the south boundry of the planning district. Green Zones are A AGRICULTURAL, Yellow Zones are R-1 Residential (Single Family).
I have put a number “1” on the map as an illustration of just how perverse the Agricultural Zone is. This plot of land is just South of the Knox High School Campus and the Cemetery. This old farm is on relatively high ground, is well drained and has poor crop yields. It hasn’t been a family farm in any sense in generations. It is in a perfect location for development as residential property. It is worth many more thousands an acre for that use than as sub-standard agricultural ground. Just southwest of this parcel is a well-established subdivision. Just south across the road is another similar plot of agricultural ground that should be residential and just south of that is a series of luxury houses.Do you see what is wrong with this picture? This property, being restricted to Agricultural use only, prevents growth in exactly the spot where it is most desirable, surrounded by already developed residential and commercial tracts. According to law, a farmer would be more than welcome to raise hogs there, but not be allowed to subdivide. The entire city zoning map is the same way. Almost all vacant ground has been designated Agricultural.
This has got to be the most ignorant city plan ever put into effect. Members of the public strongly objected to this plan at the adoption meeting. The President of the City Council, Bill Wakel said, “You’re right. There is [sic] problems with the plan. But we need to get this passed and move on.”
Let me give a bit of background. In 1998 the Knox City Council adopted a new zoning/planning ordinance that included the Agricultural District paragraph at the top of this page. A 3-person committee that was appointed by the same City Council prepared this ordinance. Astoundingly 2 of the 3 members of this committee were a husband and wife team, namely, Jim Shilling and Melba Shilling. So I don’t suppose it even matters who the 3rd member might have been, does it? So whatever decisions were to be made regarding the plan for the future of Knox was going to be made in the privacy of the Shilling home. (BTW, clearly a violation of the so-called "Sunshine" laws) To sum up the situation, our elected officials on the City Council decided to let Jim and Melba decide our future. Note: The Shillings live on and own a substantial farm in this zoning district. (See Number 2 on the image of the entire zoning map.) They are evidently wealthy.
Shame on the Knox City Council for abrogating their duties and responsibilities to the people and the future of Knox.
Shame on Jim and Melba Shilling or seeking or accepting such a blatantly unethical arrangement.
There will be several future Blogs devoted to the Planning/ Zoning Ordinance and it’s numerous other intentional flaws designed to strangle the development of Knox.
5 comments:
At least its an initial plan... Sometimes having a plan is better than not having a plan at all? Cant a master plan be changed or modified?
Or would an initial plan prevent a landfill trash site? Confined hog operation, or even a rendering plant(like the one that used to be on the northwest side of plymouth?)
I know you are a do gooder and all but also perhaps it would prevent extensive amounts of low income housing? in which you would have increased amounts of drug trafficking, teen pregnancy, or further burdens to our local poor funds... I am not saying public housing/low income housing is all bad, but in excess would imbalance the economy in starke county. Its already a known fact that other communities assist people to move to knox and other areas cause they do not want the burden.
However, a plan is a plan- at least its something to work with and not etched in stone direction.
Although you've just skimmed the surface, this is, without question, the most important, the most needed, and the most accurate blog you have posted.
I applaud you! Maybe I'll join you for that walk across Round Lake.
In reply to Anonymous said... At least its an initial plan... Sometimes having a plan is better than not having a plan at all? Cant a master plan be changed or modified?
Or would an initial plan prevent a landfill trash site? Confined hog operation, or even a rendering plant(like the one that used to be on the northwest side of plymouth?)
KnoxIndiana Replies:
This is not an initial plan; this if the final plan; this is the long-term plan; this is the law; this is what you have to work with when you build in Knox. This plan spells out where and what all development is allowed. In the correctly zoned area a landfill or rendering plant is allowed, however that doesn’t mean it would be approved. There is a permitprocess and a board of zoning appeals.
Read the Code above again. “Agriculture includes crops and animal husbandry of all types.” Amazingly the law in this case is quite explicit and allows little wriggle room. If you wanted to feel hogs in the Agricultural Zones right in the City of Knox, right next to existing housing tracts, schools, and restaurants, this Ordinance (law) actually encourages this. This code is meant to protect the “rights” of farmers to the exclusion of other’s “rights”. This Ordinance begs the question, “What is a city?” By definition anywhere else on earth a city is not a farm.
I know you are a do gooder and all but also perhaps it would prevent extensive amounts of low income housing? in which you would have increased amounts of drug trafficking, teen pregnancy, or further burdens to our local poor funds... I am not saying public housing/low income housing is all bad, but in excess would imbalance the economy in starke county. Its already a known fact that other communities assist people to move to knox and other areas cause they do not want the burden.
KnoxIndiana Replies:
OK. Here appears the very tired and very overworked boogieman. Essentially you are saying that through zoning, WE (we, as in White, Protestant, Middle Class) can keep out the OTHERS (others as in non-white and/or poor). Well clearly the Knox Ordinance has this as one of its goals. However, we hardly needed this Ordinance to do that! Knox has been quite successful in remaining White, Protestant, and Middle Class for its entire history.
Too bad that the children of the White, Protestant, and Middle Class haven’t been so cooperative so as stay in their correct class. Some move up and move away. Some move down and stay. But let’s say that our children that moved up to wealth and upper class status wanted to stay. Where would they build? I think that Toll Brothers, our new employer in Knox, would not be able to find a “safe” piece of ground in Knox to build one of their famous luxury communities. Our Zoning Ordinance gives them no encouragement or protection.
Anonymous said... However, a plan is a plan- at least its something to work with and not etched in stone direction.
KnoxIndiana Replies:
Sorry. Wrong. This is the law. It is etched in stone.
Whatever anyone says about you, you certainly have some balls and one has to admire that. I don’t know if I support some of your personal attacks on certain citizens in Knox, but you have a right to say whatever you want as long as you can back it up.
Apparently, you have shaken some people up, you are the new "mystery person." Congrats on that, I think. The people are worried and they are trying to figure out who you are. Good luck in keeping you anonymity.
Knox is, and always will be, a small town because that is what the powers that be want. I have lived by a large city and watched communities grow and prosper. This is simply not what the folks in Knox have in mind. It is quite obvious by the plans you have shown that Knox will remain a rural area as it has been forever.
Heaven forbid this little part of Indiana become diverse in any way. The majority of those here like it that way. It is comfortable, one knows what to expect, and one must not think about anything. To quote Bertrand Russell, a famous free thinker and philosopher, "Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth -- more than ruin -- more even than death.... Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man."
Small towns like Knox, I have come to the conclusion, are not necessarily ‘bad.’ I think that they are essential to those who want to continue their way of life unchallenged by anyone who may believe, look, act, talk or walk in what may be viewed as "different." This is a small, predominately Christian community. If you are a white Christian and you do not want that lifestyle to be challenged in anyway, Knox is the perfect place for you.
You and I differ philosophically in that I do not agree that anyone should give of themselves without reward. One may say that Mr. Shilling, for instance, is not giving to the community without incentive. The notoriety, the admiration, the respect, the esteem, it’s all a part of the package that comes from his hard work. I feel that there is not one thing wrong with this. He benefits, and according to you, we all benefit from his interests. The fact that it looks as if he and his wife put their own welfare ahead of the collective is not necessarily bad, but typical of the laissez-faire capitalist ideology on which this magnificent country was founded.
The politician, the teacher, the social worker, police, all “public servants” have their own interests in mind. They are financially rewarded for their positions, (many of these types of jobs offer esteem within the community) and, of course, they have either their own or their Parties’, or their friends, or their families, etc. happiness in mind when they choose to run for or apply for their positions. To say that they are just “giving to the common good’’ is a ridiculous altruistic notion. We all, whether we like it or not, selfishly consider our own interests before our “fellow man,” It’s the natural order of things.
I was out of Knox, thankfully, for quite a while. I left for a variety of reasons one being that my divorce caused quite a stir and I was not at the time mentally capable of dealing with all the whispers, the gossip, and the looks I got from people in this community. Fortunately, I have given up worrying about what other people think. Now, it’s kind of fun to see the aftermath. I am indifferent when I get the looks, most of these people mean very little to me and I am sure I will leave this place soon enough. I would like to raise my children in a more diverse community and give them more educational opportunities than what Knox can offer.
I also feel that I am somewhat obligated to put up some defense for the Welters. I do not know if your allegations are true and either way it means nothing to me. Harold and Becky Welter have always been kind to me and my family and I have nothing negative to say about their characters. I have to admit I do not personally know their son.
First off, if what you allege is true it is not the first time such a thing has happened. I am not condoning this sort of behavior, not at all, just making an observation. I graduated from Knox schools and I can give you a list of teachers who had inappropriate relationships with students. I can even tell you of one marriage and a baby that resulted from two of these improper couplings. It seems to be the policy of this school system, and probably most, to sweep these things under the rug. I would imagine that doing so would not only protect the adult but also the young student involved. Let it be implicitly understood that I do not condone this type of behavior, far from it.
Speaking strictly as a parent, I doubt I would want all of Starke County to know that my child slept with a teacher and this is simply because it would ruin my child’s ability to function in this small town. Usually everything is done to protect the anonymity of the children in these cases, once again, not so unusual.
Secondly, it is well within Harold Welter’s role as a parent to do whatever he can to insure the success of his children. Right or wrong, parents do this. Most parents operate subjectively when it comes to their kids. Morally and ethically speaking, the deed is definitely wrong, there is no argument there. But, subjectively speaking, it is common that a parent would find it impossible to separate their love for their child from the child’s misdeeds. It happens all the time. I can’t say what I would do if the shoe was on the other foot. Even as an Objectivist, it would be hard to separate my innate instinct to protect my child from the repercussions of his deeds.
I love your biography, by the way. I laughed my ass off when I read it. There is no way on earth that what you are saying is true because everyone knows everyone around here and if you have frequented the bars, the churches, the community meetings, etc, and have been married or shacked up with more than one man you would have already been found out. But whatever, people have been run out of this town on a rail for saying and doing way less than what you have done and I can understand your wanting to protect yourself.
Anyway, I choose not to be anonymous, I will happily sign my letter so you and whoever else may be interested will know who I am, maybe we can do lunch sometime. I love intelligent conversation. I can’t say as I want to spend much time talking about Knox, but, hey we can find other things to talk about.
Sincerely,
Dalonna D. Arbuckle
D said...
KnoxIndiana Replies…
D said... …you certainly have some balls and one has to admire that...
KnoxIndiana Replies…RE:“Balls”. Lacking testicles, I would prefer that you had used the broader term “gonads” as that term is inclusive of ovaries. Furthermore the word gonads still carries the connotations you were seeking to express. Whereas ovaries lacks the “punch”. In any case I take “balls” as a compliment, of course assuming that you weren’t referring to my lack of classic beauty as suggesting masculinity!
D said, quoting BR : "Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth -- more than ruin -- more even than death…[etc]”
KnoxIndiana Replies…Obvious hyperbole from BR. I wouldn’t take that too literally or too seriously if I were you. However men do fear being grabbed by the gonads. And you may quote me on that.
D said... Harold and Becky Welter have always been kind to me and my family and I have nothing negative to say about their characters. I have to admit I do not personally know their son.
KnoxIndiana Replies…Well, great! All my comments about Harold Welter are strictly concerned with his actions as a public official. Character is best illuminated by behavior.
D said... ..it is well within Harold Welter’s role as a parent to do whatever he can to insure the success of his children. Right or wrong, parents do this
KnoxIndiana Replies…I strongly disagree. There is no ethical “get out of jail free card” as a parent. In Harold Welter’s case he took on an even higher ethical duty when he took his place on the School Board. It is especially important ethically that he NOT “insure the success of his children” at Knox Schools.
D said... I love your biography, by the way. I laughed my ass off when I read it. There is no way on earth that what you are saying is true ..[etc]
KnoxIndiana Replies…My biography is factually correct.
D said... maybe we can do lunch sometime
KnoxIndiana Replies…I regret I will be unable to lunch..
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