GV Slow Growth
[ The following is a Letter to the Editor, SBN-P, from Gary Earle, printed June 15, 2006. ]
Letters: Slow-growth faction alive and well
Gary Earle, Goleta Valley
Developer lobbying groups, such as the Coastal Housing Coalition, have embarked on another pro-dense housing disinformation campaign. They claim the results of the supervisors' race and other events show residents, particularly of the Goleta Valley, have changed tacks and reject the concept of slow, well-planned development and protection of green spaces for their neighborhoods.
However, an examination of the facts proves the opposite. Candidates Joe Guzzardi and Das Williams ran on a "slow growth, sound planning" platform and their combined votes garnered over 40 percent of ballots cast.
Dan Secord advocated for a community plan update and a planning commission for the Goleta Valley, and opposed any rezoning of agricultural land to high-density housing.
Even Janet Wolf, who was perceived as the most developer friendly of the candidates, agreed the valley should have an updated plan and opposed rezoning of prime ag land to high-density housing.
In addition, the Goleta Valley Visioning Committee is drafting language supporting the preservation of ag land and open space, and the Planning Commission recently heeded residents' requests to exempt the valley from site selection for the housing element environmental impact report. Most valley residents also would view as positive the commission ruling last week that the Noel Christmas Tree Farm be reverted to its prior zoning of only 3.3 housing units per acre, one of the least dense residential zonings for a large parcel in the area. Housing advocates had sought significantly higher densities.
Saying with a straight face that there's a shift in attitude toward high-density development is something that can only be tried by those on the receiving end of a developer's paycheck.
Santa Barbara News-Press
Letters: Slow-growth faction alive and well
Gary Earle, Goleta Valley
Developer lobbying groups, such as the Coastal Housing Coalition, have embarked on another pro-dense housing disinformation campaign. They claim the results of the supervisors' race and other events show residents, particularly of the Goleta Valley, have changed tacks and reject the concept of slow, well-planned development and protection of green spaces for their neighborhoods.
However, an examination of the facts proves the opposite. Candidates Joe Guzzardi and Das Williams ran on a "slow growth, sound planning" platform and their combined votes garnered over 40 percent of ballots cast.
Dan Secord advocated for a community plan update and a planning commission for the Goleta Valley, and opposed any rezoning of agricultural land to high-density housing.
Even Janet Wolf, who was perceived as the most developer friendly of the candidates, agreed the valley should have an updated plan and opposed rezoning of prime ag land to high-density housing.
In addition, the Goleta Valley Visioning Committee is drafting language supporting the preservation of ag land and open space, and the Planning Commission recently heeded residents' requests to exempt the valley from site selection for the housing element environmental impact report. Most valley residents also would view as positive the commission ruling last week that the Noel Christmas Tree Farm be reverted to its prior zoning of only 3.3 housing units per acre, one of the least dense residential zonings for a large parcel in the area. Housing advocates had sought significantly higher densities.
Saying with a straight face that there's a shift in attitude toward high-density development is something that can only be tried by those on the receiving end of a developer's paycheck.
Santa Barbara News-Press
Posted by Malcolm on
6/15/2006
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