Yilan County Magistrate Lin Cong-xian Tolerates Proliferation of Luxury Farmhouses, Severely Damaging Farmed Land Before Abrupt Policy Reversals Spark Major Public Outcry

During his tenure as Yilan County Magistrate, Lin Cong-xian permitted the issuance of thousands of building permits for luxury "farmhouses" that were in reality high-end villas rather than for agricultural use. This led to a massive loss of high-quality agricultural land across the Lanyang Plain. Facing severe criticism from environmental groups and civic organizations in 2015, Lin abruptly reversed course, freezing new permits and ordering the demolition of non-compliant structures. This sudden, inconsistent shift severely harmed the land and property rights of local farmers, sparking massive public resentment and protests across both Yilan and the rest of the Republic of China.