This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/sd/ for current information. |
League of Women Voters of California
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Proposition P General Plan - Land Use Policy Change City of Escondido 11,331 / 38.66% Yes votes ...... 17,978 / 61.34% No votes
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Index of all Measures |
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Information shown below: Official Information | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | | |||||
Shall the Escondido General Plan land use category be amended for 3.66 acres north of Harmony Grove Road, east of Borra Place, addressed as 1978, 1988 Harmony Grove Road from the current designation of Urban I (5.5 units per acre) to Light Industrial to decrease the number of single family units allowed from 20 to 0 units and to allow approximately 63,700 square feet of industrial development? (as shown on Exhibit 8)
In 1998, the voters adopted Proposition S, which changed the Escondido general plan to require that amendments to certain portions of the general plan can only occur after a majority vote of the people at an election. Proposition S specifically provides that general plan amendments or specific plans cannot be adopted without a vote of the people if the changes increase residential density, change the general plan's residential land use categories, or change certain residential designations (rural, estate, suburban, and urban) to a commercial or industrial designation. In addition, Proposition S re-adopted specific policies from the current general plan. These policies are those which regulate land use patterns and character, residential development, and residential preservation and development. The measure re-adopts specific policies regarding planned development zoning, specific planning areas, clustering of residential development and the population objectives. Proposition S required that changes to these policies in the future cannot be made except by a vote of the people at an election. This particular Measure asks whether the land use category of the Escondido General Plan should be amended for 3.66 acres north of Harmony Grove Road, east of Borra Place, addressed as 1978, 1988 Harmony Grove Road from the current designation of Urban I (5.5 units per acre) to Light Industrial to decrease the number of single family units allowed from 20 to 0 units and to allow approximately 63,700 square feet of industrial development (as shown on Exhibit 8).
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Arguments For Proposition P | Arguments Against Proposition P | ||
This proposal concerns a VACANT LOT immediately NEXT DOOR TO AN
EXISTING INDUSTRIAL PARK. According to City staff, it will change the
zoning from high density houses to Planned
Industrial.
This proposal will provide MORE JOBS and FEWER HOMES. According to an independent study by Cotton Beland Associates, Inc., this proposal "will result in 59 fewer persons residing in the area, but approximately 159 more persons working in the area." This proposal is COMPATIBLE with existing uses in the area. According to the EIR this proposal "would not substantially change the character or arrangement of land uses as the area is already developed with a mix of industrial and residential uses." This proposal will cause NO SIGNIFICANT NOISE OR LIGHT IMPACTS. According to the Environmental Impact Report: "Industrial development would not substantially degrade the existing visual character given the area's small size and its proximity to an existing industrial park" and "would not increase the noise levels on surrounding roadways and non-residential development would be compatible with CNEL contours." This proposal will NOT HARM any sensitive PLANTS OR ANIMALS. According to the EIR there will be "no impact as [there are] no native vegetation communities or sensitive animals on-site" and "no sensitive species on-site". This proposal will NOT CAUSE AIR POLLUTION. According to the Environmental Impact Report there will be "no significant increase over existing General Plan emissions." JOBS IN ESCONDIDO will shorten commutes and keep people off the freeways. JOBS IN ESCONDIDO will provide fees for our schools without adding more students and crowding. This proposal will provide jobs in Escondido without impacting the environment or intruding into sensitive rural areas. Please vote YES. LINDA BARGMANN, CPA Co-Trustee of the Lesh Family Trust
This site, if zoned light industrial, could create 159 jobs. That's 159 daily commutes through your neighborhoods along with the potential freight traffic that would accompany this type of zoning. This zoning belongs next to the freeways where it does not impact your residential neighborhoods. This is the definition of sprawl: More and more industrial and commercial zoning migrates away from the freeways and main roads, causing severe and immediate degradation of your quality of life. Proponents of Measure P say more Escondido jobs mean shorter commutes; keeping people off freeways. What kind of logic is this? Just because the job is created in Escondido does not guarantee it is held by an Escondido resident. It is just as likely a resident of San Diego, Carlsbad, or Vista, would be employed on this site, doing nothing to relieve freeway congestion.
We recommend you send a message to the city:
This message will help our city by preserving property values in the outlying areas while substantially reversing the decay and increasing property values in the urban core. The alternative is ever increasing urban sprawl and the destruction and degradation of your neighborhoods character and livability. JUST SAY NO, AND VOTE NO ON MEASURE P! ARIANE C. LECOCQ LEHEW, League of Women Voters, President MARK RODRIGUEZ, Treasurer, Quail Hills Concerned Citizens KEVIN BARNARD, Director, Harmony Grove/ Eden Valley Citizens Group EVELYN ALEMANNI, Director, Elfin Forest/ Harmony Grove Town Council RICHARD A. MERCURIO, President, Escondido Citizens' Ecology Committee | The Escondido Planning Commission and Planning Department wisely
recommended against this zoning change.
The July 10,2000 Planning Commission Packet from Sr. Planner Jay Petrek to the Planning Commission states: "Staff feels that there is insufficient area to properly buffer the type of uses permitted in Light Industrial areas to fully address neighborhood concerns . . . industrial uses sited in residential areas without adequate buffers have led to land use issues related to noise, and difficulty of screening views . . . the incorporation of industrial uses in this area will represent a significant departure in the existing neighborhood . . ." This proposed zoning change is a bad idea. Industrial parks do not belong in family neighborhoods close to where children play. They belong near freeways where there is easy access to a large number of commuters and in planned large industrial areas. This area is remote, rural and primarily residential. The roads leading to this property are two lane, winding, rural roads; the increased number of commutes within this residential area will increase the number of pedestrian and other traffic fatalities. Costs to improve infrastructure to this area would be borne by YOU the taxpayer. Escondido already has vacant commercially zoned buildings and undeveloped industrial land available! Redevelopment is the answer to providing industrial space and improving the city in general. Ruining this rural community will only add to the taxpayers' burden and by decreasing the value of properties will further degrade the quality of Escondido's schools. Increased commutes to and from industry will create more traffic and air pollution and less quality of life for all of us. Vote NO to help curb urban sprawl and promote smart growth. Exercise your right to protect your quality of life and your neighborhood. Vote NO on Prop P. V. ANN BECK-WITTE, Director, Harmony Grove/ Eden Valley Citizens for Smart Employment & Growth PATRICIA MACK NEWTON, Business Owner/ Director, The Escondido Creek Conservancy MARK N. RODRIGUEZ, Engineer, Treasurer, Quail Hills Concerned Neighbors EVELYN ALEMANNI, Business Owner/ Director, Elfin Forest/ Harmony Grove Town Council STEPHEN ISAAC Director, The Christward Ministry & Questhaven Retreat
Their concerns are not justified. This lot is NOT "REMOTE AND RURAL". This lot IS IMMEDIATELY NEXT DOOR TO AN EXISTING INDUSTRIAL PARK. It is on the west side of the industrial park, away from Harmony Grove and Eden Valley. This lot is NOT IN A "PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL AREA." Quoting the official Environmental Impact Report: this proposal "would not substantially change the character or arrangement of land uses as THE AREA IS ALREADY DEVELOPED WITH A MIX OF INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL uses." This proposal would NOT "CREATE MORE TRAFFIC". By providing jobs closer to home, this proposal would help to shorten commutes and alleviate the congestion on our freeways. This proposal will NOT "DEGRADE THE QUALITY OF ESCONDIDO'S SCHOOLS". New industrial will pay school fees without adding any more students. According to the EIR this proposal "will result IN 59 FEWER PERSONS RESIDING IN THE AREA". There is more than sufficient area to buffer any industrial uses on this land. The neighboring lots in the Wineridge Business Park are all about one acre in size. This lot is nearly 4 acres. This proposal will provide JOBS IN ESCONDIDO and FEES FOR OUR SCHOOLS. Please vote YES. LINDA BARGMANN, Co-Trustee of the Lesh Trust (3-31-78) KEVIN P. SULLIVAN |