Man, I was feeling good about the levelheadedness with which Roanoke residents near Countryside Golf Club were accepting the city's idea to expand their neighborhood with upscale mixed-use housing.

Then residents threw up their "No Renters Allowed" attitude. Say what?

Homeowners have always shared a nagging concern that renters may not be as diligent in the upkeep of their property. Sure some renters couldn't care less about the grass going to seed or the ice on the walkway, but some homeowners couldn't either.

With companies such as Carilion, General Electric and Norfolk Southern in the Roanoke Valley, professionals may move into the area who aren't planning to be here long and don't want to invest in a property. But they want nice accommodations.

Or perhaps they are new to a community and do plan to stay but want to take time to learn the area before deciding to buy a house. Also, with the uncertainty of whether housing prices are vastly inflated, some people are smart to wait out the bubble in a nice, rented condo.

Tenants in upscale developments may not be real estate taxpayers, but they are taxpayers in other ways that contribute to the overall economy and vibrancy of a community.

Admittedly, the Countryside residents' opposition to rental property struck a nerve with me. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a neighbor of the rented upscale town house I lived in before I moved to Roanoke.

I was outside one day when a property owner in the small complex came over and said, "So you're moving, huh?"

I told her that I was. We continued talking, and I jokingly commented that I had been a good neighbor. She responded, matter-of-factly, "Yeah, but I don't like renters."

I'm counting on residents near Countryside not to be so shortsighted.

In a landlocked city with limited opportunity for such an expansive upscale development, the project is essential in broadening Roanoke's livability and prosperity.

Residents have undertaken a smart strategy to make sure they have a voice in the project. They have formed a committee to maintain contact with city officials.

In addition to their opposition to rental property, residents also want to maintain green space and limit density. They also have concerns about traffic.

They won't get everything they want. Residents near another recent city project, Colonial Green on the city's south side, didn't. But the laudable compromises between that developer and property owners created a project that everyone could live with.

That's what everyone - including potential renters - wants for Countryside.

Shanna Flowers' column appears

on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.