05/31/07 Citizens group concerned about growth

If you want to see a boomtown, look no further than Nampa. There are some folks like Lyndell Jackson who don't think that Nampa and Canyon County should be house after house after house. They're forming a grassroots alliance to encourage open space, farms and viable uses like tourism. JACKSON "There are 140 different crops that are grown in Canyon County of significant importance to the United States and the world. We do a lot of seed farming over here and part of the concern with development is contamination of these seed beds." Jackson says the open land, the Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge and a growing number of wineries could be developed into a scenic byway with winery tours. She says that's one alternative to help stimulate the local economy. JACKSON "The powers to be seem to see housing and building as the way to develop economy." She says city and county governments need to be looking 20 to 50 years down the road when making decisions about more houses, more growth and less livable space. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott