Comments by Georgy
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Posted on May 15 at 7:31 p.m.
All these regressive fees keep poor people out of public parks, public recreation areas, State Parks, and National parks.
It's straight up discrimination against the poor. Plus it's double taxation.
Public places like parks and recreation areas should be the City and County's top priority, but with no advocates, they get pushed to the back of the line by housing projects, new jails, and library facelifts that waste millions.
Posted on May 10 at 5:03 p.m.
"High-profile politicians, activists, and environmentalists have lined up on both sides of the issue. "
Really?
Please name one environmentalist who supports this. Environmentalists in Santa Barbara actually believe preserving eco-systems and open space is good for the environment.
I haven't read or seen one environmentalist or environmental group who supports this. Please enlighten me?
Posted on May 8 at 8:39 p.m.
The 2004 city council messed up on this one, sacrificing public park land and a good creek restoration project. Interesting that Marty Blum is trying to cover her tracks.
Posted on May 5 at 12:51 p.m.
"The Environmental Impact Report has pointed out the project’s numerous adverse effects, some of which cannot be mitigated. As summed up in the ballot argument against Measure Y:
“The city’s environmental analysis concluded that the bridge over Arroyo Burro Creek will cause permanent negative impacts to creek habitat, kill large oak and sycamore trees and interfere with wildlife movement. Even after the developer’s proposed creek restoration, Arroyo Burro Creek would be permanently damaged by this proj- ect. This development would also worsen traffic all along Las Positas Road between Highway 101 and Cliff Drive, and increase congestion on impacted local roadways, especially during emer- gency evacuations.”
Measure B provides the funds for creek restoration, so Mark Lee is basically trying to bribe City officials and staff. The City has to spend Measure B funds on creek restoration or they are out of compliance. The property Mark Lee would develop is a host to wildlife. His claims of this being for the environment are false.
Posted on May 3 at 3:54 p.m.
This is from Citizens Planning Commission,
Measure Y and Why it Should be Defeated on June 5th
Citizens Planning Association of Santa Barbara County
April, 2012
On June 5, Santa Barbara voters will decide whether the city should give away a part of its park land along Arroyo Burro Creek to allow a private developer to build a bridge and a road off Las Positas Road near Cliff Drive. The bridge and the road, to be maintained forever by the city’s taxpayers, would provide the principal access to developer Mark Lee’s controversial Veronica Meadows project of 25 luxury homes.
The Environmental Impact Report has pointed out the project’s numerous adverse effects, some of which cannot be mitigated. As summed up in the ballot argument against Measure Y:
“The city’s environmental analysis concluded that the bridge over Arroyo Burro Creek will cause permanent negative impacts to creek habitat, kill large oak and sycamore trees and interfere with wildlife movement. Even after the developer’s proposed creek restoration, Arroyo Burro Creek would be permanently damaged by this proj- ect. This development would also worsen traffic all along Las Positas Road between Highway 101 and Cliff Drive, and increase congestion on impacted local roadways, especially during emer- gency evacuations.”
Several members of the Planning Commission and City Council had strong reservations about the project and opposed its approval.
Councilmembers opposing the project have included Assemblymember Das Williams, Mayor Helene Schneider, Councilmember Bendy White, and newly elected Councilmember Cathy Murillo. City staff, in turn, aligned themselves with the developer, and it took two rounds of litigation by the Citizens Planning Association and the Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council to secure com- pliance with CEQA and with the City Charter’s requirement for voter approval before gifts of City parkland could be allowed.
The City acquired the lands along Arroyo Burro Creek in 1998 for park purposes, and voters authorized Measure B that allocates funding for restoring and preserving these lands. By contrast, the developer’s token creek restoration project is inadequate and fails to ensure the protection of the precious resources of Arroyo Burro Creek.
In short, the impacts of the proposed overdevel- opment are great, and the precedent for other developers to use City lands to enable oversized development is dangerous. Thanks to the suc- cessful litigation, coordinated by local environ- mental attorney Marc Chytilo, we the voters may now write the final chapter of this multiyear saga.
CPA urges city residents to vote No on Measure Y and stop this overdevelopment in the Las Positas Valley!
Posted on May 3 at 3:48 p.m.
The News-press has a balanced article on Measure Y with both sides represented.
Opponents of Measure Y say,
"On June 5, Santa Barbara voters can decide whether the city should give away a part of its park land along Arroyo Burro Creek to allow a private developer to build a bridge and a road off Las Positas Road near Cliff Drive. The bridge and the road, to be maintained for ever by the city’s tax payers, would provide the principal access to developer Mark Lee’s controversial Veronica Meadows project of more than twenty luxury homes.
Understandably enough, Mr. Lee’s recent 8-page mailer to thousands of city voters is very one-sided. The colorful document in favor of Measure Y downplays the upscale housing project as the actual purpose for the proposed bridge. It also fails to mention the project’s numerous environmental impacts, some of which cannot be mitigated. As summed up in the ballot argument against Measure Y:
“The city’s environmental analysis concluded that the bridge over Arroyo Burro Creek will cause permanent negative impacts to creek habitat, kill large oak and sycamore trees and interfere with wildlife movement. Even after the developer’s proposed creek restoration, Arroyo Burro Creek would be permanently damaged by this project. This development would also worsen traffic all along Las Positas Road between Highway 101 and Cliff Drive, and increase congestion on impacted local roadways, especially during emergency evacuations.”
It is hardly surprising that several members of both the Planning Commission and City Council had strong reservations about the project and opposed its approval. Over the last few years, Councilmembers opposing the project have included Assemblymember Das Williams, Mayor Helene Schneider, Councilmember Bendy White, and newly elected Councilmember Cathy Murillo. Other officials and staff members in turn sided with the developer, and it took two rounds of litigation by the Citizens Planning Association and the Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council to secure court-ordered compliance with the City Charter’s requirement for voter approval before gifts of City parkland might be allowed.
Thanks to the successful litigation, we the voters may now write the final chapter of this multi-year saga. If we approve the land grant, a dangerous precedent will be established for other developers to use City lands to enable over-sized private developments. If we disapprove it, an environmentally harmful over-development will be stopped in the precious Las Positas Valley."
Basically Mark Lee is trying to disguise an unwanted development as a creek improvement project. The project will permanently damage the creek though with the construction of a new bridge that has to go in or he can't develop 25 homes on City park land that he got as a gift from the taxpayers. How he got the land would make an interesting article.
Posted on May 3 at 7:34 a.m.
Car pool lanes create increase air pollution. They are bad policy.
Posted on April 25 at 8:47 p.m.
Another neighborhood bites the dust due to over-development being allowed by a weak and compromised City Council.
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Posted on May 19 at 8:23 a.m.
It will be nice when this whole Measure Y is behind us. This Measure is sure to fail. Most people have already mailed in their ballots and I'm predicting a 60/40 No vote. On to more interesting stores like when is the City with all the Measure B money going to deal with actual restoration of Mission Creek and Arroyo Burro Creek and why is it taking so long? Is the money being well spent or wasted on studies and "Don't Litter" signs?
On Our Dueling Mayors