This talk of master planned communities reminds me of Nadine Gordimer's short story, "Once Upon A Time" (short story in linked book) about a South African family who lives in one such community in order to feel "safer" from the rabble outside, protected by gun turrets, alarms, and razor wire. Of course it winds up biting them in the ass, as these things often do.

If you come across this book, spring for it.

The trend toward master planned communities and covenant-controlled extra-municipal developments scares the crap out of me. As do gated communities. There is a gated apartment multi-block-complex that is on my route to the grocery store. You have to go around it -- no way through. Of course, going THROUGH it would save me about 10 minutes when walking (the difference between melted ice cream and not), but their streets are all privately owned and I have no way of getting into the complex without a code. So much for "freedom of the road."

I call them "compounds."