File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "The Rural-Urban Continuum: Tough Land Use Choices Ahead" for the Vernon Rotary Rural-Urban Day.
Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech / paper does cover some old ground dealt with in other speeches but is nicely brought together here.
GGR outlines several competing land uses and uses agriculture as a starting point in setting the stage by noting that there are just 74,400 food producers and 2,400,000 other British Columbians.
An emphasis is placed on communications, especially since most planners and politicians are overwhelmingly urban oriented. When involved with rural planning it is important to understand the rural side of the fence and look back at the urban area rather than the other way around. This means "understanding the natural characteristics of the land resource and its ecosystems."
Seven issues are considered:
- Short-sighted premises - the supply of land is limitless and the individual has the right to use his
land as he wishes without affecting others;
- The interdependence of man within natural systems is not fully appreciated;
- Reluctance of rural people to accept planning programs;
- Institutions and organizations reflect rural reality;
- Sprawl is not confined to urban areas and when it affects the rural area it can be a large problem;
- The dilemma of wanting data to make good land use decisions, but while we wait for information,
bad decision are being made; and
- What is politically palatable?
The speech ends with the need for rural and urban communities to be mutually supportive. While farmland preservation isn't central to this speech the rural resource and planning theme is relevant."
