One of the mantras of the Urban Correctness crowd – of which Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker is High Priest – is “density.” “Density” is good. “Sprawl” is anathema.

That’s what makes the flap at Five Points – involving the quasi-official, quasi-political CACs who’re usually among the mayor’s biggest boosters – interesting. Because they’ve decided “density” isn’t such a good thing. At least in their neighborhood.

Here’s what’s happened: In the neighborhood around Five Points people have begun tearing down old small houses to replace them with big new homes. It’s done wonders for property values.

But the politically correct crowd sees these new homes as a blight. So they want the mayor to pass a zoning bill that says fewer homes can be built (which means less density), to prohibit townhouses and condominiums (even less density) and to make any new modern homes match the old small existing ones (The News and Observer, 8-7-07).

Now, normally, zoning disputes are about people trying to protect their property values. Neighbors unite to stop a bar or strip club coming into their neighborhood. But that’s not what’s happening here.

Instead one group of property owners is trying to force their idea of urban correctness – the proper style, type, and size of houses – on their neighbors, and if they succeed their neighbors’ property values will go down. And they’re looking to their ally in the mayor’s office to back them up.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the City Council meets in September.

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