Residents of Santa Ynez Valley, the community surrounding Michael Jackson‘s Neverland Ranch have organized a new lobby group called “Never!” According to it’s spokesman, Bob Field, the organization is fueled by community activists who are peeved about proposed efforts to convert Jackson’s former Neverland ranch in tranquile Los Olivos into a tourist desination.

Field said the group fears that the compound will draw Graceland-eque traffic of which the commuinity roads, police or infrastructure are not equipped to handle.  According to the Associated Press,  the group hopes to block the rezoning certification and make itself heard at the public hearings that would be necessary to convert the land from agricultural to commercial use.

Although neither the Jackosn family nor Property co-owner Thomas Barrack, have proposed such zoning changes Field said the Never group want solid reassurances that it won’t happen.

“We have received mixed messages, some reassuring, some troubling,” he said. “We’d like clear, concrete signs that there are no plans to pursue turning this into a tourist attraction.”

The Los Olivos Business Organization, a local merchants association/ chamber of commerce also released a seperate statement Monday opposing any rumored changes.

Quick Question: Isn’t Neverland in California?  The same state that’s crying broke right now?  So if they could gain some revenue from tourism I can’t see how the government could even think to side with the glorified “block association.”  The Merchants above all should understand.  Affluent neighborhood or not, everyone’s hurting in this economy and the rich are more aware of it than anyone else.