Government planning question?

Question

The people who decide what get's built, and where it get's built...
They have a big piece of land that a contractor owns and wants to develop.
Now the land will support 500 houses, a grocery store, 2 gas stations, and a few small strip-mall stores with no problem. That is roads, WATER, etc, etc.
But the people in charge of land development decide that the contractor can build 700 houses, 3 grocery stores, a factory, a big mall, etc, etc.
Of course people who are SMART about what the land can, and cannot support, holler loudly. But the paperwork is approved, the land developed, everything is a shortage, especially water.
30 years later, the land is redeveloped by NEW people in charge and now apartment buildings and condos are built where the houses once were at. But the land is almost dead, and the water is almost gone! But still they build and build.
And no one can stop them from rebuilding.

Why is it the people in charge, who are very smart, keep allowing this to happen?

Answer 1

PBS has been doing a series on this exact issue this week... talking about what progress and development is exactly when the area doesn't have enough resources to support it.

As far as an answer to your question, the reason the city and county commissioners do this is because all they can think about is jobs, expansion etc... in order for them to get re-elected.

Answer 2

Money and greed, as usual.

Answer 3

They don't sound smart so me - either that or they are not really in charge.

Answer 4

money, greed and politics.

Answer 5

greed-----money talks and bulls--t walks.