The Regulations of Franklin: Development!

Nothing like a little greed to screw up your lifetime.

For 37 years, Leonard and Verna Fox have made a living on the land that surrounds their W. Rawson Ave. home

At 78, he still builds prefab concrete steps in one of the outbuildings. Together, they manage the warehouse, boat and RV storage business they started in 1980.

The Foxes’ businesses, Castle Concrete Products and Franklin Storage, never attracted much attention until last year. That’s when they began receiving — and spurning — offers from developers looking to add upper-end retail shops to the recent developments at the intersection of Rawson and S. 51st St.

Now, the couple risk losing their businesses if a notice of claim against the city, a prelude to a lawsuit, is successful

There are two developers involved (one wants to obtain their property, the other wants to keep things as they are---to benefit HIS alternative development.)

And there's the usual assortment of politicians, aldermen, Zoning Board types.

The teapot literally boils over.

This is not the first time that "regulations" have been used as a club to squash small-time entrepreneurs, or long-time settlers who have almost accidentally built small businesses which are harmless.

Don't ever forget that "regulations" are generally favored by Big Money. Regulations are the easiest route to keep small fry out of the way.