Builders and deevelopers want to grow the bottom line. Some Government leaders want to grow the tax base, which is code for generate more money to spend. A small minority want to grow the quality of life, but their voices are drowned out by the chorus of short sighted instant gratifiers. As the John Prine song aptly stated, "take paradise and turn it into a parking lot."

Recon, that's 2000 census data, not 2003, but it might have very well extended into 2003. Between 1995 and 2000 Frankfort did experience somewhat a boom time. However, the latest population statistics show negative growth. We are down to about 27,098. More exact data will of course come with the next census data. Yes, it's not much of a decrease, but it shows that there really hasn't been much growth since 2000/2003, and now we have a negative trend. I expect there'll be more people leaving the area, if we can't recoup the manufacturing closures.

We have too many houses sitting empty and being for sale. There are areas approved for development, which are only half developed. There just isn't much interest right now. Personally, I don't see the need to have more land approved for development be it for housing or commercial, if the existing stuff sits empty. They can eye it for future 'booms' but right now I think the city and county need to sit down and think about what developmental plan they really want to pursue. What is best for the area. And which areas might need re-development due to longtime neglect rather than to start up new projects and in the process destroy valuable naturally beautiful land that could be used to attract people to the area either to live here or as tourists. Frankfort really needs to think about how to make itself more attractive. I don't think that empty developments and land 'prepped' for future development are the way to go.

Recon, your numbers are correct but they were during the highest state government employment in history. Now that we have had losts hundreds of local state government jobs, loss of many manufacturing jobs and more to come.

I can't find the exact quote but was told Frankfort/Franklin County's population is expected to be stagnant to negative growth for the near future.

The point is government keeps approving land for housing. Someone has to buy them and before that someone has to buy theirs and so on.

Until all the previously approved land is developed, I wish they would stop approving more.

Is anybody asking how much it will cost the Frankfort/Franklin County tax payer to service these new developments? Roads, sewers, electricity, water, garbage pick up, and other services aren't free!

It's unlikely that the real estate developers are thinking about this, as they are thinking only of profit for themselves.

Frankfort is NOT growing significantly, and hasn't for a long time. It's not a place to move to, it's a place to move away from.

I don't know about the growth issue per se, but I just wanted to say that I do not own a home in Frankfort, and probably never will, because the entire city is built on hills--or at least it seems that way to me. As I drive around, I see houses built on lots that are anywhere from moderately to severely hilly and unlevel, with lawns that slope accordingly. Can't the developers level off the lots at least enough to give people level yards? And walk-out basements; this is new to me, also. I guess it goes along with the slanted yards. But it's not for me. I want a flat yard and a basement that is not accessible from the outside as a floor beneath the main floor of the house.