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Goleta Residents Register Dissent at General Plan SEIR Hearing
Although few in number, attendees at the public hearing at Goleta City Hall on Wednesday night had plenty to say about the environmental document connected to the city’s more substantive General Plan amendments. The hearing was held only to hear public comments, not to make any policy decisions.
“In all cases, environmental protections continue to be lessened in this document,” said western Goleta resident Barbara Massey.
The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report was prepared in connection with the General Plan amendments that could have significant environmental effects, including those that affect the Land Use, Conservation, Open Space and Transportation elements of Goleta’s development blueprint. Issues like the allowance for more big-box retail, coastal access, environmentally sensitive habitat areas, wetlands creeks and trees, are among the things that could be affected by the proposed changes to the 2006 General Plan.
All the commenters, Goleta residents who have opposed most of the changes to the General Plan since the beginning of the amendment process, took issue with what they saw as a weakening of the environmental standards set forth in the original plan.
“It seems that this is geared to the philosophy of what is the minimum we can do to save our environment, not what is the maximum we can do,” said Richard Foster, commenting on what he saw as the reduced amount of specificity introduced by the amendments. Lack of specificity, he said, would lead to interpretations that could lead to litigation.
On the other hand, it was the seeming inflexibility of some of the original General Plan policies that set up legal actions against the city in the first place. Goleta was the target of several lawsuits claiming that the plan was too restrictive for business, housing and development. In response, the City Council voted to initiate a long list of amendments requested by city staff and stakeholders.
Just as big a problem to the audience was the issue of public participation in the process. Several people claimed the hearing for the supplemental report was not noticed to the public well enough, to the point where some suggested a do-over to the public hearing.
“The city’s Web site has improved, but it doesn’t work if you don’t post on it,” said George Relles, who suggested a workshop because of the complexity of the amendment process.
In response, advance planner Anne Wells, the hearing officer, said Goleta had done as much as it could to keep the public in the loop, with workshops and meetings the city has held over the past two years.
“We feel that we really spent a lot of time with the public on outreach and awareness,” she said.
Public comment period on the Draft Supplemental EIR for what is being called the “Track 3” amendments continues until March 16. Click here to read the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report.
Write to sfernandez@noozhawk.com
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» on 02.26.09 @ 07:46 AM
Maybe, just maybe, the small public showing at the hearing is indicative of Goletans’ trust in capable city staff and the Council (whom we elected) to get the job done and a general desire to move on to other matters of city business. This has been an important exercise, albeit very expensive and time consuming, but the General Plan has needed a fix and now it is being done in a thorough, measured, and legal manner.
It is impossible to please everyone (just ask Obama) and the dissenters will always be around - the key for our electeds is to not let the few hold up progress for the whole community.
» on 02.26.09 @ 09:40 AM
I agree with Goleta North!
» on 02.26.09 @ 07:28 PM
I think perhaps you are out of touch. The vast majority of people who attended workshops opposed these changes.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. The recent council election voted out those who supported these changes and voted in those who were among the most vocal in opposing these changes.
The low turnout was due to poor notice. Only 300 letters were send out and an ad appeared in the News-Press. There was nothing on the city of Goleta’s online calendar nor any notice on the site.
That there was ANY turnout was in and of itself remarkable. Wait and see what the written comments say. And just wait and see how the council votes on these changes.
Goletan’s want to preserve our environment, not minimize the protections to feed developers’ greed.
» on 02.27.09 @ 06:52 AM
Goleta North is right. The same vocal minority that shows up to every hearing does not represent the other 99% of us that supports our council’s efforts. We are too busy working, raising our kids and trying to survive this recession to make all these meetings. Keep up the good work city council! Please pass policy that encourages the job creators in our community!!
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