This is a good one folks. Another conflict over the California high-speed railroad seems to be developing. Proponents of the railroad argue that future development in the Central Valley will occur near railroad stations, and thus will inhibit sprawl and slow consumption of farm land. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that the railroad will stimulate development, but not necessarily near stations, and therefore will encourage sprawl and consumption of farmland. They point to the experience in France (which has an extensive network of operating high-speed trains) where this has happened.
We don’t take either position, since we lack the gift of prophecy, and your faithful servant is a follower of Yogi Berra who famously said that prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.
In the meantime, a development of 2,432 homes is going up just north of Bakersfield, with projected home prices starting at $250,000, which in Southern California borders on giveaway.
To get the whole story read Ralph Vartabedian, Railing Against Urban Sprawl, L.A. Times, Feb. 24, 2015, at p. A1 (above the fold).