Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Who won the GPU war? Round and round.

I went to yesterdays Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting to catch all the hubbub surrounding the General Plan Update since it is on the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District agenda for Thursday night. The public comments were pretty amicable and calm for the most part. With seemly so much at stake for each political side (developers vs. inclusionary zoning/Plan A fans) it wasn't a huge war.

Once the item was taken on by the BOS things spun round and round with no Supervisor coming up with a concise motion. Jimmy Smith tried to bring forth a motion for a Select Committee but was left on an island with no real other input with the process. Supervisor Clif Clendenen made it clear he was not supporting anything to slow the GPU process. Chairman Mark Lovelace did a good job at trying to frame all options without stumping for his own views. Very impressive. The BOS made the decision to stay the course and have staff look into creating a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC).

When the dust settled, who actually was the winner here? Obviously the people who wanted the process to continue full steam ahead. Kirk Girard and his staff came out looking better than he had going in, so he was a winner. Mark Lovelace taking control of the process and helping pull off a 5-0 vote no one was expecting puts him on pretty high ground. I guess I would have to say the losers were the development crowd. This must hurt the Boogie man syndrome that certain Supervisors are lock stock and barrel in political corners. Or maybe they just missed the memo.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I liked Julie Williams comments where she would start over, beginning the dialogue with Option D. Where do you stand Richard? B? C? D? A??

Anonymous said...

Richard stands with Plan F and Plan C.

Otherwise known as plan "Fried Chicken."

Richard said...

A-B+

Anonymous said...

Who wins? The socialist style planning staff, green wheels, epic,the poverty pimps, etc. Losers / all the folks who want a balanced plan, so security in their land rights and community values and anyone who thinks they are safe from gov. intrusion in the minor day to day issues of their homes. Quite a sad day all in all. Virginia and Ryan are led around with a very small carrot. SAD!

Rose said...

I posted this in the thread below: No one won. Once again it was a whole lot of drama with no net change.

And once again we see the disdain for the people actually in the trenches - the CSDs for example, especially McKinleyville, who are charged with long-term-PLANNING (the real kind), who have to look into the future 10, 15, 20 and 30 years to ensure adequate and well-maintained infrastructure - being discounted and not heard - who are telling you that they are not only not being included and consulted in the process, but are the dumping ground for Girard's frantic grant driven efforts to fill quotas.

If anything should come out of yesterday's meeting, it should be that Girard is directed to treat them as the PARTNER they should be, not to be dissed.

And the other discussion that should follow is standing up against the stupid notion of "affordable housing" which no one can define and is anything but - it is nothing more than a confusing feel good mandate from the politicians who want to be seen as "doing something."

No one won. imo

Anonymous said...

Rose, land use planning in McKinleyville is the county's jurisdiction. Get over it.

Anonymous said...

7:25 is part of the problem.

Rose said...

Do we even NEED a Planning Department?

How about the Building Department? How many building permits have there been?

Anonymous said...

It is amazing that the leftists up here spend soooo much time demonizing "right-wingers" yet cannot even get a general plan within 10 years of its due date. What have the democrats in Humboldt County done to promote job growth? Absolutely nothing, but they have done plenty to stifle it. If you are not a rabid Stalinist you are not welcome in this county by the "elite" and it is sad. Those on the Democratic Committee bemoan the intolerance of the "right" yet do not want to hear a single word from anyone that disagrees with them. They call anyone right of Mao a racist yet this county is ran by a bunch of white liberals who don't have a clue what goes on in the real world. Most up here couldn't get elected dog catcher anywhere but here because they aren't inclusive, insightful, or caring. It is my way or the highway and that is why guys like richard have no place among them. He may actually think for himself.

Anonymous said...

Please. Go back to Texas.