Debunking the Growth Myth, Part 11

Myth Number 11
A person's visual preference is no basis for objecting to development.

Reality Check: The beauty of land is priceless and its destruction is permanent.

Citizens who oppose a development because it will ruin a pleasing view, or an attractive natural setting are often trivialized and dismissed by local officials who feel that profits and economic criteria are what is important. However, a pleasing natural view can be one of the most significant qualities in a good community. Unfortunately many people tend to dismiss such benefits of natural landscapes. It's all too rare that human development is a visual improvement upon a natural setting.

Seldom is a development stopped because it will harm an attractive natural setting. However, the "view" is often the most important siting criteria for a home or commercial development. The right "view" can make a $100,000 home sell for twice as much.

A 1994 study by the National Association of Home Builders found that the surrounding environment is the single most important factor affecting the market value of a home. A mountain vista or the proximity to a park, beach, or stream affects home value more than the size of the house (square footage), number of rooms, pools, or appliances. When visual preferences carry such a price tag, they can hardly be dismissed as trivial.

The aesthetic values of undeveloped land probably represents other human values as well. Our preference for natural landscapes may reflect an innate appreciation for the multitude of ecological values that can be derived from them – clean air and water, wildlife habitat, species diversity, etc. – as well as food generating potential from hunting and foraging that our ancestors depended on. The quality of our surrounding environment is still a direct reflection of our own health and well-being. Urban natural areas can also be extremely significant to children as places to play, explore, and build a closer relationship with nature.

for a printable version of the argument against Myth 11, click here.