Landlords and Business.

People who acquire land on the open market have the right to build and use that property within some minimal controls of zoning and land use. Minimal being defined as meeting the Federal and State Environmental Laws, and Respecting prior use and adjacent use zoning. A Store next to your house should be far enough away not to disrupt the enjoyment of your property. Noise and traffic are an environmental issue to be addressed by a new use of a piece of property.

However when a Redevelopment Agency partners with a Developer to Develop New Property into added Developed Space there are major transgressions in sound economic practices and the rights to personal property and liberties.

Grand Terrace is reaping the rewards for having a Redevelopment Agency go into the New Development Business with "Selected Developers". Grand Terrace used tactics to acquire the land that were in violation of the rights to private property we should all hold dear. Now that the deals seem to be not so hot, the result is the City Redevelopment Agency owns land it purchased at a premium, and will be paying for interest and principal with Taxpayer's Money. All the time the property taxes are not paid on City Owned Property to add to the economic loss of the DEAL.

False Economics and Greed has lead the Redevelopment Agency to this place of near bankruptcy. IF Development does take place it will be at such a high cost the business will have extremely high rents and may not be able to survive in the Leased space.

Where as that same business may have been able to start in a home, build a building and make improvements over time, as a Business owned property. Yes, things would move slower this way, but slow and deliberate progress is more lasting.

As far as the fallen plans for a Chili's or some other "Club or Bar" type restaurant in Grand Terrace, well just look to Colton to see what such businesses bring to a community and area. Gangs, shootings, fights, murders and more oh my... that is not development that is decay. None of the proposed businesses that would bring more alcohol consumption to GT should be approved as they in no way will pay their way. No amount of sales tax from these businesses will pay for a lost life, a jail sentence and all the other harm they will bring to individuals and the community.

There may be a way to salvage what has been created by looking forward not back. Looking back, you build a strip mall and lease out the spaces and toss in a few restaurants bars for then night trade. Or looking forward you do something that promotes local sustainability and green businesses. Adjust city codes so that businesses and homeowners are encouraged to use wind and solar Energy... Adjust the city codes to encourage production of food including tree and garden crops.

Look for a forward looking economy not what has been done by others and is clearly failing or not of service to the community.

It hurts, but land and property and leases and rents must continue to go down to a rate that can be supported by business and civic activity. In addition to depend upon sales tax on imported goods is a folly of debt based economy. On a local level that should translate to Grand Terrace needs to produce as much as it consumes. That is a high bar to be truly sustainable however it is possible.