starnewsonline.com: Leland board OKs ban on future gated communities
By Terry Reilly — February 21, 2014
A decision by the Leland Town Council to ban gated communities followed a lively discussion Thursday of how such communities fit into – or poke a hole in – a town’s overall well-being. Although the vote was unanimous, council members questioned the wisdom of the resolution before agreeing to move forward. The ban applies to future development, so it doesn’t affect the town’s two exisitng gated communities – Lake Forest Village and Waterberry Plantation. And no developer has expressed interest in building a new one.
But the council’s decision was heavily influenced by the Leland Planning Department’s dim view of how gated communities affect a town. Ashli Barefoot, a senior planner, summarized her department’s research on gated communities.
“Generally in gated communities you will see a resistance to resolve regional and municipal problems, being that civic engagement decreases significantly. At public meetings you will see less attendance and volunteering throughout the larger community. They associate more with people who live within the gate, creating tension with residents living outside the gate,” Barefoot said. Read more: