For the life of me, I can't remember whether there were houses immediately around the St. Lawrence Cement Plant.
This though I ran a cleaning crew there. Among my moppers and waxers were the Treasurer of Rubbermaid, a high executive in General Motors, several other mid-management types - and their wives.
Imagine slightly overweight executives swinging those mops!
That was in the fifties when things were great. Or, perhaps 'plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose' - people still needed that extra cash.
In a properly run economy, I don't think spot-zoning is needed. When laying out a city, it's pretty obvious that industry should be down wind, for example. But actually, the conditions that restrain the possibilities of cement plants at the end of the streets is that it isn't very economic.
Industries need high voltage, heavy current supplies, they need good water supplies and large sewers. None of these are found in or near residential areas. They want easy access to rail and highways.
All a good city planner need do is put an industrial park with all these services in a preferred location and that's where industry will go. They simply can't afford to be in a residential area.
However, housing sites near the cement plant are likely to be cheaper. People with little money may be able to afford a house there rather than a preferable but unaffordable location.
This happens. During my first year in Toronto, Hurricane Hazel hit. People had been living along the shores of the Humber River for many years - even though they were flooded most springs.
Hazel was a bit too much. Some 72 people died and people asked why did they live there. Well, it was the cheapest place they could afford that afforded them easy access to bus routes into the city. Not a desirable place, but one they could afford.
It cost 72 of them their lives.
Rather than that, the vicinity of a cement plant can be almost attractive!
Harry
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Arthur wrote:
I believe we were talking about the value or merit of zoning. I tend to favour them, it seems you tend otherwise.
Without zoning a dump or cement factory could be developed in your neighbourhood. You seem to think that wouldn't happen. Why? In the absence of zoning, what would prevent such an outcome??
arthur
**************************************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 Tel: (818) 352-4141 -- Fax: (818) 353-2242 http://home.attbi.com/~haledward ****************************************************
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