County supervisors sent the Ridgeline Development Ordinance, no.
781, back to planning staff this week for further review and input
from the community. That’s a good thing. Here’s why: In a
representative government, elected officials should listen to the
constituents who hired them or they will be fired.
County supervisors sent the Ridgeline Development Ordinance, no. 781, back to planning staff this week for further review and input from the community. That’s a good thing. Here’s why: In a representative government, elected officials should listen to the constituents who hired them or they will be fired.
That’s why the present board of supervisors should choose new staff to help them craft or revise the General Plan and accommodate the interests of those who elected them into office. The new supervisors are being responsive to community stake holders, many who are anxious to develop or expand businesses that will help grow the local economy.
In December of 2002, a few citizens, acting as puppets for environmentalists, proposed the San Benito County Growth Control Initiative, AKA the “On Any Given Tuesday” bill. The legislation was a bald-faced attempt by the Sierra Club to forever change the county General Plan. The Sierra Club, whose local members are few, financed the effort and the former board of supervisors boldly voted the legislation into law against the wishes of a vocal majority of farmers and ranchers.
The former board of supervisors seemed to forget that agricultural interests comprise the majority of the local economic engine, or they were just plain arrogant with their agenda. So the Farm Bureau organized a referendum to the legislation, forcing the issue to go to a vote of the people.
This was a powerful example of democracy in action and the results speak for themselves: 69 percent of the electorate, including education, business, law enforcement and certain county bureaucrats, opposed what became known as Measure G.
The big money from out-of-town environmentalists couldn’t influence voters to compromise their own property rights, which would have proven to be disastrous to an already troubled local economy.
Ordinance 781, otherwise known as the Ridgeline Development Ordinance, was a carryover of Measure G that the former lame duck board goosed into law against the advice of the planning commission, which made the former supervisors look like turkeys. Some in the local press continue to support the failed policies of the former board and refuse to understand that the electorate, through its collective wisdom, chose new leadership to represent the interests of the majority of San Benito County citizens. To that end, some in the press resort to name-calling, character assassination and puerile caricatures of local leaders while promising to expose the foibles of our newly-elected representatives.
That is a shame and, as such, poor journalism. But the majority of the electorate recognizes these efforts for what they are: a futile effort to revert to public policy that does not serve the fiscal or environmental interests of San Benito County.
San Benito County is poised for Smart Growth, but we need strong and creative leaders who will find executive and planning staff who will work with community stakeholders to define that term and execute public policy that will balance economic and environmental interests. Our new leaders must listen to their constituency rather than approach new development opportunities with prejudice, fear and loathing. At the same time, our new leaders must continue to listen to the voices of our educators, nonprofits, small businesses and health care professionals to carefully revise the General Plan, which will help us grow and provide for our needs well into the future.
While some in the community may think that revisiting Measure G is tantamount to beating a dead horse, its political defeat was a watershed moment in county history and the repercussions are still being felt. In my opinion, the year 2005 is an exciting time to reorganize, revitalize and repair past mistakes that retarded the economic potential of San Benito County.
We must learn from history so we don’t repeat the mistakes that voters will not tolerate in the future.
