“The process of public engagement [in developing the County of San Diego General Plan] had hundreds of hearings over 10 years…So the implication is that anything that is coming forward now would be inconsistent. It would be amazing if there is going to now be wholesale General Plan amendments.” San Diego County Planning Commissioner Michael Beck, Nov. 9, 2011 interview with KPBS
Last Wednesday, June 20th, the County Board of Supervisors held a hearing for 137 private property requests that would require amending the County’s new General Plan, which was approved in August 2011. These private property owners were critical of the plan’s guidelines which would concentrate new construction closer to existing infrastructure and down-zone to lower density numerous back-country and desert properties. Although this was not the first time that the Board of Supervisors had heard testimony on this contentious issue, Ron Roberts, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors stunned those attendees who were against the proposed amendments and were there to support the General Plan.
The public had been advised via the agenda that day that a super majority of 4 votes would be required to increase the current budget to approve the funds to amend the new General Plan. Did Supervisor Roberts prepare a fall back plan in the event that super majority was not reached? He submitted a recommended Change Letter appropriation to the Chief Administrative Officer that same day for inclusion in the proposed FY’13 County Budget. Roberts was requesting $1,560,000 to develop “workplan options for amending the General Plan.”
Critics view this as a back door gambit. Not only would the General Plan be circumvented, but the process to do so would be at taxpayer expense, all without the required super majority vote. This line item is now buried in the new County budget which only requires 3 votes for passage.
Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Pam Slater-Price were reported as unwilling to go along with Roberts’ request to charge taxpayers another $1.56 million to secure a General Plan Amendment for the property owners. Slater -Price pointed out last year that 70% of the parcels in the unincorporated areas had no changes to the density levels and that densities were increased in some of the rest.
General Plan supporters are outraged that even though the Property Specific hearing has been continued to Wednesday June 27th, the deed that matters most–Roberts’ budget line item for the workplan, will be a done deal with the passage of the FY’13 budget on Tuesday. To further rub salt into the wound, the public comment is “closed” during the budget deliberations on Tuesday.
The only remaining opportunity for public opposition on the budget issue will be during the public comment segment of the regular Board of Supervisors Meeting, 9 am, County Administration Building, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310.
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Good story, Anna. Thanks. This sneak, last minute addition to the County budget, making moot the same issue to be taken up on the following day by the Board of Supervisors, is an unconscionable effort to both deny citizens their right to speak and to move to approve expenditure of public funds for what, in the end, is clearly private profit.
People can email Supervisor Greg Cox to urge that he not support the addition of this funding to the budget. We know that Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Pam Slater-Price will oppose it and know equally that Roberts & Horn will try to push it through.
Californians Aware have filed a Brown Act Demand regarding this issue. Here’s the take away–
“The Budget Deliberations item specifically notes that ‘Public Hearings on the Operational Plan took place beginning June 11, 2012 and closed at 5 pm on June 20, 2102. There will be no public testimony for this item at 2pm.’
However, because Ron Roberts submitted a Change Letter on June 20, 2012, at 4:46 pm, the Board must allow for further public comment on this issue.”
Let us know what you hear about this and we’ll post an update.
I will let you know as soon as I do.