Central Idaho Scrutinizer – Well View

10/31/08 - 18:12

Gee, ever since a handful of vacationers bought second homes down there, they have become quite uppity in Bellevue. Next thing you know, they will pass a pallet ordinance, to inspect everyones deck for quality woodsmanship.

So somebody please tell me; if you are secretly living off a well in Bellevue, connected to ancient waters spurting up from pristine Idaho batholiths, instead of attached to metered city services, does that make you an awful grid sinner? And that you should shift to sip meekly from the consecrated city waters?
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005123407&var_Year=2008&var_M
Seems that living off the grid or being homeless now, is either against the law, or on the cusp of being against the law, in so many communities. In some areas, we now have more foreclosed homes than we do homeless people. Fortunately, community leaders in a handful of places have seen what a crisis our nation is in and have thus gained enough empathy to lighten the laws and/or enforcement of laws regarding squatter's rights, etc.

Of course, a few bad squatters, or actors portraying troublemaking destitute, could perceivable tarnish the name of every person trying to live in steadfast earth harmony.

And when did living in Tipis become more unsanitary than some of the trailers already trashing Bellevue? Does anyone see the underlying racism inherent in this propheteering gridmeister ordinance? Why not just come out and clearly say we don't want any dirty Injuns-types living in our town?
http://www.uvm.edu/~jloewen/sundowntowns.php
If this country continues on the path we are on, soon everybody will need to learn more off-grid living.

My gosh, why doesn't Bellevue just jump in and force shop owners who sell Tipis to make customers fill out a form, asking in great detail what the purchaser's intentions are and whether they propose to use the tipi to sleep and dream within city off-grid limits?

Better yet, hook into an international RFID chip-warning database, which red flags Tipis and yurts coming apart at every seam. Then hire Homeland Security to outpost Bellevue's ends. (Don't forget Muldoon and Broadford) with infrared tent auditing equipment, and utilize face scanning equipment that detects - without a doubt - suspected squatters intentions.

Or best yet, why not create an exemption for hemp woven structures, to assure every wikiup will meet building codes for structural integrity, snow and wind loads, and the 2006 energy code for insulation requirements.

Tony, For the sake of us living on the edge of society, trying our best to survive in Tipis, tents and storage lockers, we beg of you to write a story from our prespective.