Simmer down now... Simmer down...
Themadd1 & Treeseer - Guys... I'm not jumping on ANY bandwagon. Read my profile and you will see that I am an architectural project manager 4 out of 7 days a week. I specialize in construction administration, code interpretation and enforcement, and arbitration. That pays the bills so that I can do what I LOVE the other 3 days... tree work.
My comments are specificaly from a legal and "public responsibility" perspective. I agree that there is a proper place and time to air one's grievances against planned changes in a community, or in a society as a whole. However, the "tactics" being exercised in this example are nothing short of domestic terrorism. These people are holding a legal landowner hostage, preventing them from using their own landholdings as the see fit. This is part of the basis for the formation of our country - private property rights. In this process, they have put the owners of the property (in this case the taxpayers) at a loss for the use of their land. And in this case, the taxpayers are also having to foot the bill of security and sanitation.
Legally, what they are doing is, simply put, tresspassing. They have no legal right to the homesteading they are doing. During this exercise, they have put the public health at risk by storing human fecal matter in a way that meets no health codes. I was always taught that one person's freedoms end where another person's begin. These people, by costing the taxpayer money for their own agenda, have crossed the line of freedom.
Contrary to how you took my comment about cutting the trees, I don't cut for the sake of cutting. I was only offering to help enforce the legal process that has already transpired in this case. The design team and owner have been through their public comment sessions. They have complied with the regulations and requirements placed on them by the jurisdictions having authority over their proposed plans.
Tree - I actually have a HUGE respect for the development process in Raleigh. I've done several projects in the area and the arborculture staff with the city is top notch in enforcing tree retention and replacement. There is a huge amount of development going on in that area. They are doing MUCH better than the other major cities in our state. OH... and FYI... I've lived here all my life but will NEVER accept the title of "tarheel"! I'm a "WoofPacker" through and through.