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PAGE Al SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1995 THE HERALD -SUN, DURHAM, N.C.
<br />NAW "OW
<br />:Land rights
<br />may am
<br />:ground Washington
<br />;State referendum
<br />Foes of the law say it is so poorly
<br />written that virtually any new regu
<br />lation —from plumbing codes to a
<br />would compensate
<br />zoning overhaul — could trigger a
<br />;:property ownerS
<br />demand for money.
<br />They protest that it could bank
<br />By HAL SPENCER
<br />rapt public coffers trying to satisfy
<br />'Associated Press
<br />claims and pay for the economic
<br />OLYMPIA, Wash. — Prospective
<br />impact statements. And they pre-
<br />vanished when they learned
<br />dict Paralysis for government fear
<br />'Kathleen Hedlund's empty 40 -acre
<br />ful of imposing even basic planning
<br />,tract was labeled "wetland" and
<br />and zoning laws.
<br />could not be developed. Her land
<br />A study by the state Department
<br />sits unsold.
<br />of Community, Trade and Eco
<br />. Then the city refused to let her
<br />nomic Development estimated the
<br />.cut down trees, citing environmen-
<br />impact statements alone could cos
<br />,tal regulation. This year they re-
<br />more than $1 billion over the next
<br />lented so the 73- year -old Hedlund
<br />six years.
<br />could sell enough timber to pay her
<br />Corporations and property. own
<br />property taxes.
<br />ers like Hedlund scoff at predic
<br />-, It's no surprise Hedlund will vote
<br />lions of bank- breaking compensa
<br />`des" next month on statewide Ref-
<br />lion_ awards — while aclmowledg-
<br />erendum 48.
<br />ing they have no idea what the
<br />== The measure asks if voters want .costs
<br />may be.
<br />to keep or repeal new but never-
<br />And they insist the law will apply
<br />'used'- legislation that would force
<br />solely to wetlands, fish and wildlife
<br />state or local governments to com-
<br />habitat, buffer zones and other
<br />,pensate property owners if regula-
<br />public health designations.
<br />tons reduce their property's value.
<br />"I'm desperate," said Hedlund,
<br />:It also would require economic im-
<br />who_ testified__at hearings_ _ -on the
<br />pact statements before a land -use
<br />legislation. "I'm not very well off,
<br />fregulation is imposed.
<br />and I'm old. My husband and I live
<br />If it survives, the law would mark
<br />on retirement, and that's it. I'm
<br />the most sweeping victory for the
<br />land -poor. If it is good for the peo-
<br />-- — �ropert rights movement since its
<br />ple to call my land a wetland and
<br />birth in the 1980s as a mostly rural
<br />preserve, then fine," she said. "But
<br />and disorganized gripe.
<br />I should be compensated."
<br />Land developers and timber com -
<br />The issue began when developers
<br />parries spent almost $1 million to
<br />and timber concerns collected
<br />support the law's passage, com-
<br />181,000 signatures to put an initia-
<br />pared with $450,000 collected by
<br />five before the Legislature, asking it
<br />opponents, chiefly environmental-
<br />to require government to compen-
<br />ists who are backed by state and
<br />sate anyone whose property loses
<br />local governments.
<br />market value because of regulation.
<br />The message from irate property
<br />That law, adopted .in April, is so-
<br />owners is simple, said Peter Stem-
<br />called "takings" legislation. It con-
<br />berg, a spokesman for the Wash-
<br />cerns any property "taken for gen-
<br />ington State • Farm Bureau, a
<br />eral public use" and applies wher-
<br />farmers' trade association and
<br />ever regulation limits development
<br />major supporter of the law.
<br />for any reason other than prevent -
<br />"If you don't want to pay the
<br />ing a public nuisance.
<br />cost, then don't be so quick to reg-
<br />Environmentalists and others
<br />ulate," Sternberg said. "Maybe
<br />alarmed by the law gathered 91,000
<br />when government knows it has to
<br />signatures to put the matter to a
<br />pay, it will take more care in put-
<br />public referendum on Nov. 7. The
<br />ling in regulations that affect land-
<br />law remains on hold until the vot-
<br />owners."
<br />ers decide its fate.
<br />uncaman
<br />stands t O.J.
<br />.1:ver(uCt^lettex
<br />Associated Press
<br />g,
<br />.., LAGUNA .NIGUEL, : Cahf; ' k "
<br />Critics are calling it_; a 'racist .
<br />diatribe, but a'.councilman is .
<br />standing ,by a ;letter: he wrote
<br />s on.;aty. stationery saying. the ;
<br />"racially ;stacked" O.I Sim+
<br />son:-jury' 'let a `brother' '
<br />Councilman Eddie Rose's
<br />t letter, written -an stationery
<br />thaf carries the names of;all
<br />council in'embers, wars,sent'ta ?
<br />several newspapers the �.ay: of
<br />t S�pson'sOct::r3 acqurtal:an
<br />murder, charges Wa ma30 zatp
<br />the overw he ming: evi ence'itz
<br />the case �n order , 'to let a
<br />`br `other' ,o free, the letter ,r
<br />read: °,Ate one paint. Rose
<br />~� e�-�o'��Simpsort
<br />jahnzue `'Cochran 'Jr
<br />1ivtalkgrletora
<br />Sunpson :`and - Cochran ire.
<br />�y1n�L[yY'
<br />F.
<br />"I: 16n't`know of'any refer
<br />e:nc��to r race in, that; letter',',
<br />ose s d ' m of pv ahy
<br />correct, that's for sure
<br />In the.,letter, Roseblained
<br />"elitist .media and tla'eir
<br />sheep -lie ;.followers , rho •; glo- = '
<br />rxfy and.Xdolize these;; semiht •
<br />` erate `athletes : who; were ' xt
<br />` ri4t for tfievr,prowess uz ,run
<br />;� niug a football - `ordiYnlcing a
<br />basketball, bW k6bably rbe
<br />outyp drugs
<br />,�mpuig or'dealing
<br />`�` on'some ' .street .corner:"
<br />;• The City. Council has called
<br />il., ecw. -. meeting Monday Ito
<br />t detidewhether to `fo32maly,
<br />f census se But the'57year
<br />Y
<br />old glut �" �a� de-
<br />fended the letter,
<br />f 1
<br />�: Moir Corer, deader , of ],ti0
<br />f`sa Macken`af �irange--count y,
<br />''rsa�d he was "shacked; and dis
<br />`xa pOm ed that :a pnbhc of
<br />;`;ficiax would uselusbh
<br />-$it io'n 1+�aY that has :the
<br />r t pl_cadons , :expressed ti.by, -
<br />that'statemeat"' l S r
<br />.:. ; 1
<br />We're in this �
<br />Accot
<br />in ne
<br />By RAF CASERT
<br />Associated Press
<br />BRUSSELS, Belgi
<br />new watchword is
<br />tics: accountability
<br />Former NATO
<br />Willy Claes, who
<br />Friday to face corn
<br />his native Belgium
<br />of some of Eurol
<br />have fallen in dis
<br />lions of power.
<br />Accountability
<br />old- business-'as-us
<br />pressed best by fo
<br />mier Bettino Craxi
<br />ecutors two years
<br />guilty. Everyone
<br />talked."
<br />But as prosecutc
<br />to talk, others feel
<br />far. After a long c�
<br />him one of the me
<br />ternational postin;
<br />had been stabbed i
<br />"Are there other
<br />litical murder' ?"
<br />Claes, who mai
<br />nocence. "You se
<br />Italy, Spain and el:
<br />politician; put in a,
<br />demned.09
<br />If that is murd(
<br />dripping from Sca
<br />way down to the Y
<br />The inspiration f
<br />stems from the "C
<br />sade by magistratE
<br />anti- corruption el
<br />past few years haN
<br />an entire political c
<br />Among the victi
<br />premiers Craxi
<br />dreotti. Craxi has t
<br />several cases and
<br />trial on charges of
<br />the Mafia. Last w(
<br />mier Silvio Berlusc
<br />D 1
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