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How Common is Common Sense? An UnReal (Estate) Blog

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408

SpeedI recently read a blog calling for using Common Sense. I commented, because certain statements were not making much sense at all.

I remembered about this Common Sense thing while driving from the showing. I veered from the Highway and picked a narrow road along the Intracoastal. Homes on the right side, and the river is on my left side. I enjoyed the view slowly (35 MPH limit) driving back to the office. The minute I crossed from Ormond Beach to Holly Hill the speed goes to 25 MPH. Nothing else is changed. Only the speed.

Speed limit is the law, and even the proponents of using Common Sense are very much for the law. So, if you drive 35 mph in Ormond Beach, you are a law abiding citizen. However, if you continue driving at 35 MPH, you are doing something illegal.

By the way, pretty much like with illegal immigration. You were 'driving' in America and it was fine, and then the visa date expired and you are suddenly illegal to the dismay of law abiding citizen. I mean that it is strange, that you can become illegal WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING.

However, in both examples there is no common sense.

If you are in Central Florida on I-4, the speed limit is 70 MPH. I can drive at this speed rain or shine, fog or hail. Is there any common sense behind it? Driving in thunderstorm when you can't see 5' ahead of you, you can legally still go 70 MPH. When in winter morning fog thickens, you can still go 70 MPH. And when it is a perfect sunny day, you still can go 70 MPH. What does it have to do with safety? Common sense means adjusting speed to weather and road conditions. Speed limit is only a measure, showing you the point at which the safety of your wallet is not guaranteed.

These quantitative measures are in place of qualitative, which we don't know how to set, and how to enforce. Hence those requirements to the heights of buildings. Anyone driving A1A through quiet Ormond-by-the Sea can "enjoy" a row of crappy 5-story buildings with flat roofs. Why dot the shoreline with so poorely looking condo buildings? Oh, because the height limit was 45' at that time, so the developer has no other way but go with 8' ceilings and flat roof, and that's why you practically do not have the view from the first floor as it is lower than the dune and State Rd A1A.

You see, the goal is the beauty. But it is so subjective, how on earth can you define it. So, criterion is not the beauty, but the height. How are you going to argue with that? One foot higher, forget it. Because we can't regulate the beauty, we regulate whatever we can regulate. The result is not the beauty but uniformed plain ugliness. And this is unfortunate. What Common Sense tell us about it. Well, for one, you can do it like they do it in US Virgin Islands. On St. Croix they limit the height to 6 stories... but you can go 9',10',11'..... so much for the freedom

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Jon Zolsky, your Daytona Beach Connection
www.BeautifulFlorida.com

Comments (4)

Sean Allen
International Financing Solutions - Fort Myers, FL
International Financing Solutions

Hey Jon,

Great post. I too like the idea on St. Croix and the number of stories instead a fixed # of feet high.

Sean Allen

May 03, 2008 11:58 AM
Heather the Realtor Orlando, Lake Mary
LemonTree Realty - Orlando, FL
First Time Home Buyers, Bank Owned Homes
Common sense doesnt seem to be that common really. I ask myself that every day when Im on the road and interacting with other individuals.
May 03, 2008 12:00 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Sean Allen & Pilar Lorenzo - When people are so adamantly fighting against that 1 foot of height, I always wonder, what is their reason. For me everything that is higher 5'5" blocks the view, and then it does not matter whether it is 4 stories or 40 stories.

Here they tend to complain about the shadow on the beach. Well, about noon there is no shade and you can't find it anywhere, the sun is rith there in the zenith. In the evening, when it is low, even a two story building casts long shadows on the beach.

I guess our sharks are complaining on the shadows, and our birds are compalining on the heights.

We, people, should complain at the lack of beauty.

May 03, 2008 12:12 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices
Heather - I completely forgot to note interaction with other drivers there, you are right. It may be a bigger nightmare than any weather, and it also may happen when the weather conditions are perfect
May 03, 2008 12:14 PM