The growth initiative buzz
The proposed citizen’s growth initiative was all the talk in
some far-flung areas of the county over the weekend. Not the
initiative itself as much as the City of Hollister and what its
decade of irresponsible growth seems to have foisted upon those who
don’t live in the city limits and who can’t vote in council
elections.
The proposed citizen’s growth initiative was all the talk in some far-flung areas of the county over the weekend. Not the initiative itself as much as the City of Hollister and what its decade of irresponsible growth seems to have foisted upon those who don’t live in the city limits and who can’t vote in council elections.
Traffic, sewage spills, bad planning. Some county residents believe the proposed county growth initiative is the ultimate result of irresponsible city actions.
The concern is that Hollister residents will be voting on a referendum that affects property owned by county residents, when most of them have never even ventured south of Tres Pinos. Residents of the unincorporated county don’t want city dwellers deciding issues that affect them.
An astute reader of the 26-page document also points out that as it is written, only farmers – those in Agriculture Productive zones – will be allowed to sell their housing credits to developers. Those in Agricultural Rangeland, that is everything south of Tres Pinos, can do so only if the Board of Supervisors see fit. If that’s what drafters of the ordinance intended, it’s grossly unfair to landholders in roughly 80 percent of the county; if it’s an oversight, it should be remedied.
On the other hand, another longtime resident makes this observation: owners of 40-acre parcels in Willow Springs stand to benefit financially should the referendum pass. That’s because anyone wanting to live remotely would have to buy a 160-acre spread if 40-acre parcels are outlawed. Those 40-acre parcels are going to be highly desirable.
The initiative is designed to make permanent things already in place: the county’s 1 percent growth cap, the dark skies ordinance and a ban on ridge-top development. Along the way, it makes other planning regulations tougher, and that is what residents must consider.
California leads the way in allowing citizens to vote on issues that directly affect how they live, which is a good thing. Voting is key to a true democracy. Voters must be informed, however, in order to make a decision that is best for the county. For that reason we will post the entire text of the 26-page document on our Web site at www.pinnaclenews.com as soon as possible. Please take the time to read it and to follow discussion as it unfolds.
To sign the initiative petition merely opens the county to a long and (we hope) healthy debate on how we are to grow, which is important to our future, which is all we have advocated for. What that decision ultimately is – what’s best for San Benito County – can’t be decided until all of the facts are known.
