"A" huge dilemma

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The upcoming election on the county general plan has really reached the point of ridiculousness. How did we get into this mess in the first place? The general plan update process was started seven years ago with the best of intentions, getting everyone involved so that a consensus could be developed. Instead we've ended up with two competing plans and a divided citizenry.

Even trying to explain the situation makes my head spin. We've got three ways to vote on two plans. Yes, three.

1. Measure A: Voting yes means you want the General Plan Initiative, the "slow growth" plan, to pass.
 
2. Measure B: Voting yes means you want to repeal General Plan Update 4, the "developers" plan which was enacted by the county supervisors several months ago.

3. Measure C: Voting yes means you want to enact General Plan Update 4.

Just so we're clear, Yes on A means yes. Yes on B means no, and yes on C means yes. I think.

You can thank the county supervisors for the confusion. They let it go on the ballot that way. To me, that's reason enough to vote against GPU4, which is their baby.

Measure A actually comes closer to my vision for the county, but its opponents do make a valid point that it may be too rigid.

There are a lot of issues involved here, of course, and I don't have time to get into them all. Let me just say that there are actually elements of both plans that I like, and elements of both I don't like.

One thing is clear: This election has become so divisive that whichever side "wins" a substantial portion of the population is going to feel left out. That is no way to plan for a future that affects everyone.

Thus I am leaning towards voting against both plans. If both plans fail, we will revert to the 1982 plan, which doesn't seem so bad anymore. At least we were able to function under it without treating each other as evil personified. Maybe it would give both sides time to cool off, rethink their rigid positions, recognize that we're all in this together, and start to work together.

Comments

Anonymous said…
First, I love your website...Very entertaining, extremely informative.  My wife and I just got back from 9 days in CA.  We're celebrating our 32nd anniversary and decided the way to do it was take advantage of her business trip to San Francisco.  When she was done, I flew out to join her.  We spent 4 days in Sausalito (Casa Madrona and Inn Above the Tide) doing the tourist thing (Alcatraz, Muir Woods, Wine Country) eating at some good restaurants (Poggio's, Spinnaker).  We then drove down Highway 1 for lunch in Santa Cruz before arriving at the Monterey Beach Resort for 2 nights.  It was there that depression set in...I had been stationed at the Presidio Defense Language Institute in 1973-74 and we last visited in 1984.  Seeing the Wharf and Cannery Row was like getting to see your first true love after 33 years and discovering she's become a fat, ugly prostitute...That's the only way I can think to describe it.  We enjoyed the Monterey Whale Watch (6 humpbacks).  The wharf was NOTHING like it used to be, as you know.  The aquarium was outstanding but all the construction around it detracted greatly from what I remember Monterey best for...a small town atmosphere that was a cultural jewel and exquisite to be living in...We cut our visit short and finished our trip in the Carmel Highlands at the Tickle Pink Inn...just what the doctor ordered.  We drove the 9 miles down to the Bixby Creek Bridge and had lunch at the Rocky Point Restaurant.   I guess all good things must pass, but I kinda wished in a weird way that I didn't see Monterey in it's present state so that I could go on believing it would always be as it once was.  We'll be back, and probably try to base our stay at the Tickle Pink...Anyway, sorry to ramble on, but for some reason, I picked this forum to  get some of these thoughts out...Again, thanks for your website...I visit it frequently and will continue to do so...

Mike
August 16, 2007 at 6:35:00 PM PDT

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