Posted in reply to the post by shellebelle:
Oh Good Grief! Not for BS on the NEA Plan by the Sebatopol Preservation Society crowd!
I swear the conservation crowd is just trying to create fear! And "they" want voters to back "their" lies? How sad is that!
I heard Guy say at the Wacco sponsored debate he wanted to add 25 homes in the NE area each year for 20 years HELP!!!!!! Thats' more than the General Plan allows and FAR MORE than the NEA Plan. WAKE UP!!!
And many of you are talking as if Guy, Kathleen or Colleen have the skills to handle the information necessary to make an informed decision about NEAP. Come on only one candidate has a Green MBA and a Geology dregree! Talk about back bone to know the truth and read through the buracreacy! (Oh for those who don't know it's Jen Thille
https://www.votethille.com/)
Look lets get real here!
Sebastopol is supported by it's surrounding communities. Read Retail Market Analysis page 4. The city's retail is responsible for 2.5 TIMES the retail spending power of the city's residents! That's 173 million dollars!!!!! The goal is to get the cars that aren't stopping to spend!! AKA STOP THE RETAIL LEAK! A place to stop, room to pull over and places to drop that cash!! In the process if we can provide jobs (even retail jobs) for the local students we are ahead!!!! Yes the dream is real business but let me tell you unless there are parking spaces and commercial real estate that is appealing and appropriate there won't be businesses coming to Sebastopol.
The General Plan allows much more than the NEA Plan. Leaving the General Plan in place is not optimum.
Lets try a reality check!
Currently the General Plan is in place and the Sebastopol Conservation Society Crowd has said "halt" and they have succeeded but lets see what they realistically accomplished.
If tomorrow the owner of any of the land in question went down and filed a development plan within the General Plan parameters the city council would HAVE to approve it or be sued. Now the city may be able to delay some but if I remember basic CA law (attorneys please step forward and tell how true this is) even if the delay is enough to get the NE Plan or a plan in place the developer would be grandfathered in under the original General Plan parameters because they filed prior to the NE Plan or other plan being implemented.
Now I have heard many misnomers that this is a "development"
it is not! No one has the right to tell a land owner what they can and can not do with their land if they follow the city guidelines.
The only option is to "change" the city guidelines. The NEA Plan lays out a set of zoning and design regulations.
If the Sebastopol Conservation Society thinks the NEA Plan is bad I can GUARANTEE anyone developing under the General Plan will HAVE FAR MORE wiggle room!!
Here are some general info that busts the myths of the Sebastopol Preservation Society:
The purpose of the Northeast Plan is to review land use policy for one area of Sebastopol and set clear City policy to guide future development as it is proposed.
Okay people this is a yeh! We want a say in what developed but we have to do it BEFORE development is initiated by land owners!
Part of the area is relatively land-locked, and the General Plan lacks a plan for addressing this significant circulation issue. The Specific Plan creates a template for streetscape and other capital improvements.
Okay people this is a yeh! We want to address the congestion - Right?!
Development in the area would be required to meet the same parking requirements as apply today to development in downtown Sebastopol.
Okay people this is a yeh! We want more parking right?! We want customers to stop and stay not keep going because there are no parking spaces!
Today, net fill is allowed in the area (and in the entire City limits). The Plan proposes no net fill to retain existing flood holding capacity. This is a progressive environmental
policy which imposes additional constraints on development.
Okay people this is a yeh! We want the flood issues to be addressed proactively (that means before the flooding versus after it)!
Statements have been made that current zoning limits height to 2 stories in the downtown; in fact, 3 stories are allowed today.
Okay people this is a yeh! We want shorter structures right so we can enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds our city!
The Northeast Plan incorporates the existing regulation that sets strict size limits, far below the size of big boxes.
Okay people this is a yeh! This means no large chain stores. Might want to attend the next city counsel meeting and ask which stores int he community currently would not qualify under NEAP for a location.
And as far as wetland impact the area we are talking about is ALREADY developed! This is replacement/restoration development NOT new development!!
Okay people this is a yeh! We aren't hurting the Laguna in anyway! In fact with the new environmental and green rules of NEAP we actually create green jobs and lower our environmental impact!!!
Just to end on a big hit the Plan lays out a set of
zoning and design regulations the only way legally to control development - "telling" a developer what they will build when the general plan allows something different back fires EVERY TIME! (It's been tried more than once and usually ends with a lawsuit being won by the developer that often then pays for his development).
Does the "Sebatopol Preservation Society" have the funds to fight the legal battles because most of the people I see backing it don't seem to have that kind of cash.
Lets get real Sebastopol! Change is eminent! Do you want to be in charge of it or do you want it to be in charge of you? Follow the Sebastopol Conservation Society recommendations and change will be in charge via developers!