Success In The Valley Has Been Restoration Of Existing Structures
Dear Editor,
The concept of the expansion of the Water Valley trailer park by the Golden Wing group is so ill-conceived that it is repulsive. The proposal is an exploitation of trailer park tenants and our town. Far from being an “asset” to our community, it will be a huge detriment to our town. There is no way it can work as a “safe, family oriented community” at the density levels they are planning if they put in over 100 trailers as some people have said.
They did not conduct a needs study. They did not consult the town officials or the citizens of Water Valley on whether we need or want such a huge, unnatural growth stuck to the side of the town like a parasite.
We already have model, low income housing on Blackmur Street with well maintained brick structures with spacious lawns with HUD oversight.
I believe that these Oxford guys’ scheme of cramming trailers into such a small space is nothing more than the creation of a slum.
Doing the project the right way would entail limiting the amount of trailers to 25, which would come to about one trailer per acre.
The environmental effects of building this trailer park are immensely grotesque. They will need thousands of truck loads of dirt to fill in the swamp while destroying trees and animal habitat. What an utter waste. We need to see impact studies from the EPA, Corps of Engineers, state and county offices of health and land management.
The displacement of so much wetland swamp could cause water drainage and flooding issues for the town. The Golden Wing group should find some place they can set up these trailers on solid ground with proper subdivision infrastructure. Is not there enough land in Mississippi that they could find a more suitable place? And indeed they could have done this in Lafayette County, maybe these guys did not want to adhere to the minimum standards of decency that the Oxford zoning board requests like curbed roads, less trailers per acre, some lighting and green space.
The burden to our town’s infrastructure and services would be tremendous. Frankly, I don’t see any reason why the city has to supply any services to the county side. We should not have to be responsible for supplying any electric lines, sewage pipes or treatment, or water lines. We should not allow any use of the town’s utilities for the county side of trailer park .
Town services such as police, fire, medical, and schools would likely be overwhelmed. The county services could also be stretched to the max. The traffic problems such as parking, congestion, adequate access roads, and properly wide interior roads, must be addressed for safety reasons.
The whole trailer park would be a tornado disaster in the making.
Furthermore, we are all familiar with what can fester in a badly managed trailer park, such as drugs and violent crime. And is it no wonder this happens when people and trailers are stuffed to close together, just to make a lot of money for absentee landlords.
If Golden Wing really wanted to be an asset to our town they would build about 12, mid-priced houses that people can buy and own.
The real success of Water Valley has been created by people who have bought and restored old houses. By maintaining and fixing up the existing older houses and commercial buildings, Water Valley has experienced a renaissance in recent years. Indeed Water Valley has been recognized nationally for its achievements of good historic restoration. We have tried hard to keep the charm of our small town. Real investment in our town entails saving an old building or house and restoring it.
Bill Warren
Panola Street