This sale should not take place until the city's urban agriculture ordinance has been put in place. City Council is scheduled to take up the proposed ordinance in January and make final decisions by February. That way everybody will know what the rules are. Score says he has been negotiating with the city for four years and doesn't want to wait any longer. I say get in line.

For me it comes down to a question of fairness. Why can't people who have been here and doing the work get some play too? Why can't organizations and individuals who want to buy land in their neighborhoods do that? It seems that the city should have policies on land sales that are open so everyone knows and understands what it takes. There is a lot of land out there that people are willing to pay taxes on. Hantz isn't the only one. 

Or is it as bluesman Robert Johnson sang, "the last fair deal gone down"?

City Council will hold a public hearing on urban agriculture Thursday, Dec. 6 at 5:45 p.m. in the 13th Floor Committee of the Whole Room of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center (2 Woodward Ave.)

On Monday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. there will be a public hearing on the proposed sale of land to Hantz Woodlands at East Lake Baptist Church (12400 Jefferson). City Council has scheduled a vote on the proposed sale in a special session on Tuesday, Dec, 11.

Larry Gabriel is a writer, musician and former editor of Metro Times. Send comments to letters@metrotimes.com.

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