Last Saturday, at the NE Indiana Libertarian picnic, Rex Bell and I talked about his good work as a member of the Hagerstown Board of Zoning Appeals. He and Brian Golliher, another local Libertarian, are members on the board. While they do not constitute a majority on the board, Rex talked about how their bringing up libertarian ideas about property rights have resulted in pro-property rights results.
They also have been influencial in defeating yet another comprehensive plan (one of Rex's arguments is that a new one is not required by law, only allowed, and thus there is no need to spend the money on it).
Rex also commented that both of them have gotten the board to start looking carefully at existing zoning laws, which it wasn't doing, and following them. This alone has resulted in more pro-property rights decisions for homeowners and business owners.
Now Rex and I both agree that zoning laws are often hurtful (I personally believe that they are a major cause of the urban sprawl that contributes greatly to unnecessary environmental damage). But we're both thankful that as long as it's the law in Indiana, Rex and Brian are doing something to make them less onerous.
Rex Bell is also the chair of the Libertarian Party of Wayne County.
No comments:
Post a Comment