Blue Ribbon Unties Previous Proposal

Mayor Cook's Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee on PSB Land Management met yesterday in the City Council chambers, on television, with City and PSB staff and members of the conservation community present. In brief, here's what happened.

Pat Adauto gave a presentation about EPWU's Land Management Program giving history, policies, guiding principles, water and land planning and more. You will have a thorough background by reading each slide carefully either by clicking on the title of the presentation below and opening in a new tag or window or clicking on the bottom bar's far right icon. Here it is:
Land Management Program

After the presentation, Adauto and Committee member also PSB Chairman, Ed Escudero, went over a proposed revision to a joint resolution between the City and PSB about land management. It adds language about land sale goals "D", and methodology for land expediency "E". Again read carefully either by clicking on the title and opening in a new tag or window or clicking on the bottom bar's far right icon.
Land Management Program Proposed Revision

Committee members did some tweaking and then passed a motion first rescinding their previous proposal of a new committee to determine if land can be sold and second of all adopting the resolution.

Thankfully the previous proposal was abandoned. That proposal in essence would have taken land management away from the PSB and given it to a Committee of two members of City Council, two from PSB with the Mayor presiding. Most objected to it because it was designed to speed up land sales in total disregard to water conservation management.

The new resolution keeps PSB in control of land management, provides for more transparency between the PSB and City Council, and puts in writing what the criteria are for determining inexpediency.

Now here's the rub: many in the conservation community were hoping for a clear statement that one reasonable condition for declaring property inexpedient should be its intrinsic value as open space. However, land sales goals include the preservation of open spaces and critical arroyos, protecting water supply and so forth. Moreover, item 4 of methodology states as a criteria for inexpediency that "[t]here is adequate water resource supply to serve the land and development contemplated." Item 5 says that the "land will be developed in a manner that will enhance regional watershed management." I.e., not enough adequate water supply + no enhancement of the watershed - no development and certainly preservation of open space could follow.

It was explained to me that, had land preservation been a "method", then there could be no other reason for selling the land. As a goal, land preservation is always a consideration.

Still some are not yet convinced that the resolution goes far enough. There, of course is one more meeting of the blue ribbon to be held September 10 or 17 to consider financial and water use questions followed by a joint City Council and PSB meeting on September 26. There is time for more tweaking as well as perhaps looking at the role of the Open Space Advisory Board regarding land management and its relationship with the PSB and City Council. 

Perhaps one very easy fix is to re-title section D as follows: Land Sales, Preservation and Development Goals. 

Another Open Space Plan Moves Closer to Implementation

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Another recommendation of the City Council approved Open Space plan is now closer to being implemented. Clearly stated in Chapter 6 (An Implementation Plan) is this: "The rezoning of all the currently undeveloped lands that do not have approved master plans or land studies to the Rural Farm (RF) zoning category should occur immediately." The Open Space Plan was adopted in 2007. It is now 2010. About time.

At the December 28, 2009 meeting of the Open Space Advisory Board, motions were made and passed unanimously to recommend the "down-zoning" to the Legislative Review Committee for Planning and Development as well as to the City Council.

The LRC met yesterday and heard presentations. Of course, staffer Pat Adauto, argued against the down-zoning. (Tell me again why there are staff members who oppose the vision and approved plans of City Council even working for the City.) The PSB also opposed down-zoning.

Representative O'Rourke moved and Representative Byrd seconded a motion to recommend down-zoning to the full City Council. The vote was 3 to 1 in favor and that 3 to 1 was something of a surprise: Representative Quintana's was the third affirmative vote whereas Representative Lilly's was the "no" vote.

The proposal now goes to City Council. It does not appear to be on the agenda for the upcoming February 2 meeting of Council.

Open Space Board Chairman, Charlie Wakeem, sent this message to board members following yesterday's LRC meeting:

"I went to the Planning LRC today for the item on down-zoning PSB land to R-F (Ranch-Farm) that the Board voted unanimously to recommend. This was the Chapter 6, A-1 recommendation in the Open Space Plan. In spite of opposition by staff and the water utilities, the Planning LRC voted 3-1 to recommend the downzoning with conditions to the full City Council. It may be on the Council agenda as soon as next Tuesday. I'll keep you posted."