Town Crying

If you take the time at all to read the C-Ville Weekly or Daily Progress, you're aware that the university's relationship with the town around it has been rapidly declining. As often as we complain about parking or not getting classes, the residents of Charlottesville complain about all of us. It's not a new trend, to be sure, but lately it's been getting worse.

What could they possibly be complaining about? Without the university, Charlottesville would be little more than a cultural desert, a speck in the Shenandoah foothills with low property values and stills in the backyard. Well, they're complaining about that, primarily. Certainly Charlottesville depends heavily on the university, but 40,000 of its residents have nothing to do with us. And if the city continues to shoot up U.S. News and World Report 200 Best Places to Live list, the university and the place may no longer be synonomous.

Despite Charlottesville's move towards independence, students seem to be taking the blame for the city's growing pains. Our cars cause traffic and parking problems. But unwieldy Grounds parking is our own cross to bear. And the blame for the tragic urban sprawl that is Rt. 29 rests squarely on the shoulders of Albemarle county planners, not the unfortunate student and resident car owners who suffer at its cruel hands.

The controversy over Meadowcreek Parkway (a potential Rt. 29 bypass requiring acres of land and millions of dollars to build) should tell residents one thing: the city is growing. Even if cars were banned for each and every university student, eventually Meadowcreek parkway would still be necessary.

So to the permanent residents of this fair city, I offer an olive branch -- no more abuse of the city for my own selfish purposes. I will keep my yard free of litter, kegs, vomit. I will seek out shopping opportunities elsewhere than Rt. 29. I will not make fun of Shiffletts. Just let me keep my Corolla, okay?

Viewpoint consists of the majority opinion of the managing board of The Declaration and is written by the executive editor on a weekly basis.