Incuments Out, Challengers In!

By Carl H. Starrett, II

The current planning group has failed us by opposing badly needed recreational facilities and by opposing a project that would remove a health hazard from near an elementary school.

Thomas W. Oakes Joel S. Hyatt John Goodell Daniel Smith Carl H. Starrett II Philip R. Conard, Jr. Cheryl Baldivia

There are two major reasons that I have decide to run and why I believe the incumbents should be removed.

First is the YMCA issue. The Valle De Oro planning group has consistently opposed this project that will be constructed near the Hooley's and the Edward's Theatre at Campo & Jamacha. The shopping center owner generously donated the land, but the planning group wanted the land to remain as open space and kept the project tied up with demands for environmental studies to determine how the lights would effect the birds in the area. The project has been delayed for years and now increased constructions costs (20% or more in the last year alone) threaten to delay the project even further.

The second issue is that the planning group has opposed a development that would replace the Hooper Chicken Ranch. There is a chicken ranch on Fuerte, less that ¼ mile from Fuerte Elementary School. Although the chicken ranch is currently inactive, you may have experienced the smell and the flies from the chicken ranch. A developer wants to take the 27 acres and subdivide it into ½ acres lots (like the rest of Mt. Helix) and build 2800 s.f. homes in the area. The value of these homes will likely exceed $1.1 million and would certainly be a great improvement for the community over the chicken ranch.

The County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors regularly overrule the recommendations of the Valle De Oro Planning Group. I have personally spoken with County staff that confirms that the Valle De Oro Planning simply lacks credibility because of their decision making. Please join me in voting to remove the incumbents and replacing them with the highly qualified candidates listed above.