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We’re still on the cusp.

While most government agencies still classify Davie County as being rural – some of us who grew up here think otherwise. There’s too many people, too many houses and business too close together for us to be rural. Right?

Maybe, but we’re not urban, either.

We’re somewhere in between. Let’s call it “rurban.” Yeah, I just made that word up. The definition found in the “Cynical Old-Codger Dictionary”: “Rurban: a defined geographical area composed of people who can’t decide if they want to live like sardines in a can or not.” (I made that definition up, too.)

According to the US Census Bureau, we’re neither. We’re “Metro.” Go figure. I think according to that agency, Davie County is part of the Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point urban area, hence the term “metro.” At least that’s the way it sounded to this sometimes feeble brain. That same agency defines “rural” as any place that doesn’t fit the definition of “urban.” Even my swamp and mountain education could figure that out. Those definitions do matter, however, when it comes to government funding.

Living here, it’s obvious that we’re in transition.

Go to a county commissioner’s meeting that has a rezoning issue on the agenda. You’ll hear people go on and on about those rural vistas that are disappearing at what seems like a daily basis (Vistas they don’t own, by the way.). Listen to commissioners talk about doing everything they can to keep us rural, to honor our rural heritage.

Then watch a Dollar General pop up in what was once a local cornfield.

Commissioners even bought land to show they are committed to helping keep Davie rural a priority, where they hope to build an ag type center. If it’s successful, it will bring in more people. It will require more employees. While that’s not keeping us rural, it’s definitely better than a subdivision with our current standards.

Yep, we’re “rurban” and there’s no going back. We just have to maintain.

Even here at the newspaper, the majority of the complaints we receive (At least the ones that aren’t directed at a specific person or business because of a personal issue.) are issues caused by this in-between status: loud music, gunshots and dogs running loose.

If the county adopts a noise ordinance (I like loud music, too; if not loud enough to wake my neighbors up, at least loud enought to wake me up!), are they giving in to the “urban” way of life?

If the county adopts an ordinance as to what hours and where guns can be fired, they are not only giving in to the urban lifestyle, they would be committing political suicide. We like our guns and we should be able to shoot them whenever we like. If a neighbor complains, guess what? They’ll hear more shots at even more odd hours. It’s sad, but it’s the state we’re in right now. We want to control what our neighbors do and when they do it.

And the dogs. This one hits home for me, as a dog allowed to roam tried to attack my little dog in my own backyard. The owner showed little concern. But yes, a county ordinance prohibiting dogs from roaming off of the owner’s property would put us a step closer to being urban. Give the sheriff’s department some credit here. Several people a year are now being charged with owning “nuisance” animals. That won’t happen with a single incident, but let your dog harass a neighbor or a neighbor’s animals multiple times and see what happens.

We can stop some of this nonsense without ordinances, folks. It’s called common courtesy to your neighbors, whether they look like you or not, whether they vote like you or not, whether they worship the same god as you or not, whether they own guns or not. We’re all people, and while we may disagree on this or that, we can get along if we all try.

Be considerate of your neighbors. If we don’t, we’re a step closer to becoming urban. Not that urban folks can’t be nice, but they are binded by more laws that prevent disagreements between people.  To stay more rural, we’ll have to figure out how to do that on our own.

Gone are the days of my youth, where the old house with no door locks, air conditioning, central heat or indoor bathrooms was home; situated at the end of a long drive at the end of a dirt road. That dirt road was extended, paved, and now, some 12 houses are situated on that quarter-mile stretch of extended road. It looks like an urban area gone wild.

Yes, gone are the days of Davie County being rural.

But we’re not urban yet, either.

Let’s keep it that way.

“Rurban” doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

– Mike Barnhardt