L. Brooks: "I Don't Want to End Sprawl. I Love it."

**Zaiko** · February-11-12, 04:23 PM

Patterson was on the Craig Fahle show Thursday.

He ended the interview with a defiant speech for sprawl.

http://www.michigannow.org/2012/02/11/3239/

Not all of us have heard him say exactly what we figure he's been meaning all these years.

**detlump** · February-11-12, 05:02 PM

Well, gotta appreciate the honesty. Problem is, sprawl is moving beyond Oakland County, into Macomb and west to Livingston and Washtenaw. Oakland is pretty much built up or over-priced, except where people don't want to live in Oakland county, like Pontiac. I could be wrong, maybe Pontiac is the place to be these days, I don't get up there too often except for the Dream Cruise.

**313WX** · February-11-12, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by detlump

Well, gotta appreciate the honesty. Problem is, sprawl is moving beyond Oakland County, into Macomb and west to Livingston and Washtenaw. Oakland is pretty much built up or over-priced, except where people don't want to live in Oakland county, like Pontiac. I could be wrong, maybe Pontiac is the place to be these days, I don't get up there too often except for the Dream Cruise.

Oakland County's prime is pretty much behind it.

**Artistic** · February-11-12, 05:49 PM

Nothing stays the same...the next big movement which I think is already in process is moving back into the city...wheather it's the big city or the smaller cities on the fringe of the big city.

**Jowlska** · February-11-12, 05:53 PM

How old is this man? He seems to be the Fidel Castro of Oakland County. I am against sprawl for a number of reasons, but to say sprawl is economic development is shortsighted. Sprawl ends up costing tax payers in the long run because of all the infrastructure that follows it. Look at all of the rundown freeways throughout the city and suburbs. Sure at one time that was economic development, but in the long run has ruined the economy. That economic development he is talking about keeps moving outwards and will move right on out of Oakland County. Oakland County will eventually look like an even more rundown version of Detroit if sprawl keeps up. It's already happening. Look at Redford, Livonia, Warren, Lincoln Park, everywhere! It's all starting to fall apart as people leave the old for the new. Even far north in Waterford things are looking pretty bad. Michigan needs to get it together and stop sprawl.

**Detroitej72** · February-11-12, 06:28 PM

I have often wondered why nobody ever complains about the costs to the taxpayers with suburban sprawl. I'm sure the folks in Auburn Hills and beyond feel they are entitled to have new and expanded roads to take them home, but how many would be up in arms if their tax dollars went to replace say, the Southfield Freeway?

**313WX** · February-11-12, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

I have often wondered why nobody ever complains about the costs to the taxpayers with suburban sprawl. I'm sure the folks in Auburn Hills and beyond feel they are entitled to have new and expanded roads to take them home, but how many would be up in arms if their tax dollars went to replace say, the Southfield Freeway?

Well the fact of the matter is the folks in Auburn Hills have all the money in Detroit.

Since money is power, what they want pretty much goes, no matter if others think what they want is half-ass backwards or selfish.

**Detroit Stylin** · February-11-12, 06:39 PM

If you are interested in reversing sprawl and stopping this regions backward slide join this group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LightRailNow/

and this one as well...

https://www.facebook.com/DetroitTransit

**DinNC** · February-11-12, 10:08 PM

Maybe when gas prices hit 5 or 6 dollars a gallon you might see some of the folks that work downtown move closer.

SteveJ · February-11-12, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by DinNC

Maybe when gas prices hit 5 or 6 dollars a gallon you might see some of the folks that work downtown move closer.

The problem is very few work downtown. I was downtown a week ago on a Wednesday or Thursday going to get lunch and it was just a ghost town at noon. In any big city, it would be swamped with workers going to get lunch. Not Detroit.

**mwilbert** · February-11-12, 11:31 PM

Sprawl has worked for LBP for his entire career. Even if has stopped working, or stops working now, he is never going to live long enough to internalize that. And the same is true for most of his constituents.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · February-11-12, 11:56 PM

^^ Good call. L Brooks doesn't give a damn about Detroit. Never did. It's all about Oakland County.

bartock · February-12-12, 12:15 AM

It is pretty obvious that even the original poster of this thread did not listen to the speech or read the link, which is an exact transcript of the speech. I have criticisms of LBP and don't agree with everything he says, but none of you who have responded so far even read or listened to what he said. The thread itself is completely inaccurrate, but the guy's such an easy target that everyone calling themselves "pro Detroit" these days has to assume that it is anti LBP or suburbs in general. And GOD FORBID the man actually does have a bone in his body that cares about the region, which could be accurately described as just as much City as it is Suburb.

**Baselinepunk** · February-12-12, 12:37 AM

"Oakland County's prime is pretty much behind it."

Yep ... Yep.

And Good Ole LBP sure had a great time during it all as well.

Just think; within 5 years this sorry-ass, sack o' shit will be gone one way or another.

Then we'll sit 'round; sip a few and place him with similar typology as Coleman A. Young.

First 'round is on me!

**Detroitej72** · February-12-12, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

And GOD FORBID the man actually does have a bone in his body that cares about the region, which could be accurately described as just as much City as it is Suburb.

Educate us.

**Bham1982** · February-12-12, 12:46 AM

I'm no Brooks fan, but the source is basically garbage. That's not a legitimate headline, and the source is obviously wildly slanted.

If you look at the Patterson quotes, there's nothing controversial there. He mentions his support of Main Street programs within the county, and says that one man's sprawl is another man's growth. That's basically it.

**internet_pseudopod** · February-12-12, 02:36 AM

Brooks is being a bit disingenuous here. If he thought for one moment that the state or federal government were willing or able at the current time to build the roads and facilities necessary to support a population that would rival that of Oakland county[[ or Wayne which Oakland is siphoning population from) elsewhere his tune would change significantly. Considering his advanced age and current economic conditions he is probably safe from that fate for the rest of his life. Sell the public BS and kick the can down the road for the next guy.

**East Detroit** · February-12-12, 06:13 AM

We have finite funds.

If someone wants to live at 50 Mile, fine and dandy, but its the countryside so deal with the dirt roads and dont expect them to be paved until we have all current roads maintained [[with escrow for future maintenance). Certainly their SUVs can handle the dirt roads. Someone [[like a Governor) should have said that about 20 Mile before we got here.

**Mark Smiles** · February-12-12, 08:28 AM

People have a right to follow their dreams. If others want to call it sprawl, I really don't care.

Those who want to make it illegal for people to follow their dreams scare me.

If someone does not want to see a piece of property developed one can purchase it and feel good about driving by it once in a while.

bartock · February-12-12, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

Educate us.

Oh, I don't need to educate you, anyone who plucks statements out of context and asks rhetorical questions ostensibly based upon those statements must really have it together.

The short of it is that this is a region of 4.2 or so million people, and 5+ if you include the good people of Windsor and their environs, as we should.

City-centric folk like to pretend that the maybe 700,000 residents of city proper ARE "Detroit", which is ridiculous.

Suburb-centric folk like to pretend that Detroit could fall into the river and no one would skip a beat, which is ridiculous.

In my lay, lay opinion, The city of Detroit itself was basically built suburban in nature, at least for its time. Those 1.3-1,4 million people who left went somewhere, but TO ME, many of them and their kin [[and their businesses) remained in Metro Detroit and the roots are still there to this day.

Oh, there is that little tiny bit about the country and the World seeing the whole region as Detroit.

...but let's get back to hating people who live outside of city limits but still love Detroit, and finding our boogeymen and boodeywomen that we can blame for the region's decline, etc., etc.

East Detroit and Mark Smiles were spot on in their posts.

SteveJ · February-12-12, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Baselinepunk

"Oakland County's prime is pretty much behind it."

Yep ... Yep.

And Good Ole LBP sure had a great time during it all as well.

Just think; within 5 years this sorry-ass, sack o' shit will be gone one way or another.

Then we'll sit 'round; sip a few and place him with similar typology as Coleman A. Young.

First 'round is on me!

Well let me take it a step further and say the whole country's prime is pretty much behind it. To say that Oakland County is going through some steep decay while Wayne or Macomb are prospering is ridiculous. Oakland County is still leaps and bounds ahead of all the other counties in the region. I don't get why people get all up in arms because someone wants to live in Clarkston and not in the 'hood.

**Scottathew** · February-12-12, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Mark Smiles

People have a right to follow their dreams. If others want to call it sprawl, I really don't care.

Those who want to make it illegal for people to follow their dreams scare me.

If someone does not want to see a piece of property developed one can purchase it and feel good about driving by it once in a while.

I agree with Mark, people should be allowed to live where they want.

There seems to be A LOT of animosity toward Oakland County in this thread. I grew up in Oakland County. It's nice there. Crime is low. The county government is stable and does two-year budgets. The next house I buy will probably be in Oakland County.

Some folks seem angry that people are attracted to clean, safe suburban neighborhoods. It's a matter of wanting what is best for your family. I love Detroit. I work in Detroit. I want to see Detroit continue its comeback. However, I simply won't move to Detroit because it's not what's best for my wife and two kids.

I don't understand the people that want to live out at 36 Mile, but I most certainly don't want to restrict their ability to do so, nor do I feel any kind of animosity toward them for pursuing what they want.

**313WX** · February-12-12, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

We have finite funds.

If someone wants to live at 50 Mile, fine and dandy, but its the countryside so deal with the dirt roads and dont expect them to be paved until we have all current roads maintained [[with escrow for future maintenance). Certainly their SUVs can handle the dirt roads. Someone [[like a Governor) should have said that about 20 Mile before we got here.

Too bad all the Governors since Romney have also wanted to live at 50 Mile Road like their constituents.

**gameguy56** · February-12-12, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by 48091

I don't understand the people that want to live out at 36 Mile, but I most certainly don't want to restrict their ability to do so, nor do I feel any kind of animosity toward them for pursuing what they want.

Sure, than they need to pay for the pavement and improvement of the roads all the way out at 36 mile. We have to fix and maintain the roads where people live now, first.

**Lowell** · February-12-12, 01:15 PM

I don‘t want to end sprawl

Meanwhile Pontiac crumbles outside his office.

I don't think the anImosity in this thread is directed at Oakland County so much as it as it is at LBP. Large areas of the county now face challenges similar to Detroit's. At their heart is sprawl. Wall the sprawl now.