"You Don't Own The View"

"You Don't Own The View" 

Photo by Paul Anderson

Turbine Blade Convoy for Scout Moor Wind Farm passing through Edenfield

(Copy Right: Paul Anderson [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0))

Are you building something the public finds hideous? In Hampton Bays, Long Island, the Shinnecock Indians, recognized as a Federally protected nation, are erecting,  building a large billboard for advertisement that many of the residents are finding distasteful. The Nation owns the land onto which this sign is being placed and technically they need not answer to the local jurisdiction concerning any zoning or other laws because of their nation status.  Locals are up in arms about how, "Bad this sign looks. Doesn't belong here. Is not in keeping with the character of the area." The Nation has every right to construct their sign but that hasn't stopped local officials from sending them a, "Stop and Desist" order. The controversy simply put is about preserving the scenic beauty of the area.  I don't know how the Shinnecock Indians are responding to the blow back from the community but they may reply:

"You Don't Own The View" 

It's not a bad defense. I watched a TV documentary program which aired in UK called, "Wind Farm Wars." In it is the story of one determined neighbor to stop the construction of a wind farm in a very scenic English country side. The only legal footing he has to stand on is the noise volume these machines will create, otherwise as the project director has stated to him, "You don't own view". This I suspect is the neighbors biggest concern albeit it one that has no standing.

So what?

Building a wind farm off shore and can't stand the desecration of the natural vista:

"You Don't Own The View" 

Building that lack luster subdivision on the hill, where once a majestic old growth pine forest once stood:

"You Don't Own The View" 

Building that 1,000,000th McDonald's or Pizza place in a neighborhood saturated with fast food places:

"You Don't Own The View" 


I think you get the picture. In most places, you have the right legally to build an aesthetically offense structure but do you have the moral right? It's a great question and a rather subjective one. To some a wind farm may be a glorious sight - To some it may be a eyesore and a blemish to the scenic beauty. Another fast food chain opening it's doors may be just another cartoon gimmick intrusion to an up scale community or it may be a sorely needed place of business. Who's right who's wrong, is there even a right or wrong? It may be lamentable or  liberating, depending on your viewpoint, that you can't police bad behavior, or Ugliness but should we? Should we intrude in this murky area of opinion and legislate some kind of Visual Pollution Laws, Bad Behavior Laws?

It's a risky, risky business to start legislating opinion and unfortunately I have no good answers but I would love your opinions and welcome debate.

As for my opinion getting back to the Wind Farm Wars, I love the engineering beauty of a well designed wind turbine, but I must admit, they would seem strangely out of place in a beautiful English country side. Being an architect I'm torn. I do believe in stopping "Visual Pollution" I'm just concerned who would be allowed to determine what constitutes it.

Thanks,
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Links:
www.27east.com State-Serves-Shinnecock-Tribe-With-Cease-And-Desist-Order-Igniting-A-Lawsuit-Over-Billboards

 www.bbc.co.uk Wind Farm Wars