What a bunch of crap, C-R-A-P. Our esteemed soon to be retired Sioux Falls City Council Chair has said in the Argus Leader article “Do we want a lot of areas that look like Old Orchard?†Oh my gawd, how ignorant can people be?
There are several neighborhoods in Sioux Falls without curb, gutter and sidewalks including my neighborhood. Some specifically move to them because they have NO curb, gutter, storm sewer and sidewalks. There is a function and charm to neighborhoods without out our outdated curb style designed so badly it breaks snowplows if the drivers are not trained properly. To the people who think all houses must be painted brown based colors like our City Council Chair prefers with the greenest golf course grass and big brick mailboxes, too bad, we have freedom of choice.
Not all houses and yards have to look like your golf course duplex maintained by a landscaping company for their efficiency. Old Orchard, Split Rock Heights, Hall’s Addition and more are neighborhoods with a flavor the owner residents want to retain. Hall’s addition and Old Orchard are long established formerly rural neighborhoods with permanent agreements with the city of Sioux Falls to never be forced to have curbs, sidewalks or storm sewers. Those of us who live in the areas know there is never a need and in the late 1980’s attorney A.J. Swanson fought for the right to keep them out forever. An additional negotiated pieces for Hall’s Addition is 20 mph streets and their own water wells – FOREVER. Did you know Old Orchard has the right to keep horses?
There are many things to be negotiated in the annexation fight. The city staff and a few members of the Council are full of themselves in these issues.
Bruce Danielson
Annexation is a criminal aggressive action. People live outside city limits for a reason. Suddenly, without notice, they’re in the city. They get city improvements but get assessed at higher than the going rate. To escape punishing city domination, one must live well out of town. The mayor himself lives 70 miles away near Madison.
Orchard Heights is one of the most desirable places to live in Sioux Falls.
The residents in this subdivision took on the SF Planning Commission in 2016 over a zoning issue. These citizens demonstrated that they had all their ducks in a row!!
It would be interesting to see a list of the 60+ areas in SF that are targeted for future annexation.
Also, when the guy from Prairie Meadows gave public input at Tuesday’s Council meeting he mentioned Daniels Construction several times. What is the history of Prairie Meadows and Daniels Construction?
Sometime during the past several years, the Council has gone through a lengthy review process to come up with a system to hold developers liable when they do not fulfill their obligations. Do you remember this, l3wis?
When there was competitive bid process, Daniels construction was a bidder. The mayor wants to use his developer. Daniels Construction was awarded a big contract and the city didn’t pay. They can do so because the judicial ordinance doesn’t allow the city to be sued. Other contractors networked and know not to bid. Three insider contractors take turns getting city projects at highly inflated rates. It’s a card game with all the cards aces.
The frickin city always brings up Old Orchard. And yes, we moved there specifically because of it’s charm and rural flavor. Geez I’m so tired of hearing them whine about it.
Right?! Do you ever hear anyone come back from visiting NY city and saying, “It is such an amazing place except for that big green space right in the middle. It is so out of place. It really needs to be developed.”
Why should the City annex land all, developed or not. The ROI is net negative considering the long term costs of maintenance obligations relative to property tax revenues. Growth for growth’s sake is absurd. It’s like saying, “I want to grow, so I’m going to get as fat as I possibly can.” How’s about making more efficient use of the infrastructure we already have? Award density bonuses to developments that stack affordable residential above ground floor retail. Sioux Falls needs more McMansions and tract housing like a fish needs a bike!
Old Orchard is by far my favorite neighborhood in town. I wish we had a LOT more in town acreages and areas like Old Orchard.