Our Dueling Mayors

@Barney, I always look at voter approvable, politician endorsed Measures and initiative's as "Where's the Money"?
There is always a pay-off to a government leader no matter how small for endosing a measure that a developer pushes the public to vote favorable for, so I demand again, wheres the money?

The Veronica Meadows neighborhood was approved by the planning commission, the city council, and the coastal commission. The ballot measure is about whether you want the bridge, the public park, the open space, and the creek restoration OR whether you want it accessed through Alan Road.

@Barney: you really shouldn't mislead your readers by telling them the elections are about something they are not.

Very long article that doesn't impress me one bit. Why is there a rant about Chicago? Reads like like a smear piece rather than a journalistic article.

Smearing and lies don't change the facts: A yes vote gives Santa Barbara residents the benefits of creek restoration, a new public park, and a new pedestrian trail all at no taxpayer expense.

Where's the money? The money for creek restoration, a new public park, 44 acres of open space, and a new bike trail is coming from Mark Lee and the Veronica Meadows community. Pretty great deal if you ask me.

Follow the facts - Yes on Y.

"@Barney: you really shouldn't mislead your readers by telling them the elections are about something they are not."

Nomination for best unintentionally ironic comment of the day.

The developer, or his minion, anonymously pushing/defending his less-than honest agenda and accusing someone else of trying to "mislead" people.

Still not convinced. I'm voting in favor.

If Measure Y fails, the entire project approval is dead, and the entire project will have to go back to the City and start again. The Coastal Commission considered the revisions to the City Local Coastal Plan (LCP) associated with the annexation of these lands from county to city, and requested that the City make modifications to the Veronica Meadows portion of the LCP concerning what kind of development is appropriate in the creek buffer zone. Under the Coastal Act, the City had to accept those modifications within 6 months, or the LCP submittal would be deemed rejected and the LCP amendment process would have to start anew. The City did NOT accept those modifications, and so the LCP processing must also start again with the Coastal commission.

Jfitz, in the spirit of "following the facts" of Measure Y as you proposed, some research shows you have a comment history of unyielding support for anything involving clients of Davies Communication, which in your case would include both Measure Y and issues pertaining to the SB Botanic Garden which is also a Davies client... I followed the facts Jfitz, be careful what you wish for...

This is a great nuts and bolts article Mr. Brantingham. I'm sorry but I more often agree with Mayor Schneider nowadays than I do ex-Mayor. Blum, (and thats forgiving her shenanigans with trying to block the skate park and supporting measure T.)

Ironically, Mayor Blum is from Chicago.

Another aphorism--descriptive of election day in Chicago: "Vote early and as often as you can".

From what I remember about Chicago, the weather was usually wretched, it didn't have ocean or mountains, and rumours abounded of Daley's Political Machine but at the same time if you got home late at night in ten below zero weather and noticed a street light was out, you'd call the city and the crew would be right out there fixing the light. Things ran efficiently. Lessons to be learned.

Oh my - you got me.  I'm in favor of a better garden and a new park.  Seems normal.   But evil lurks in those in favor of a garden and a new park.

You make me laugh.  The only answer you have is to attack another persons right to speak out.

It's telling.  As telling as Barney's tired rant about Chicago. Read it a number of times.  

Marc. You are just flat wrong and you know it.  You are willing to gamble with the neighborhood on Alan Road having traffic - while the EIR says and you know quite well what it says - that there is no issue with traffic on Alan Road, it is NOT a significant impact.  So no reason to say no.

The project is approved.  Using the road would be a minor change and no court would uphold denying the project when the EIR says there is not a significant impact.  

The only things reduced would be the cost of the bridge, the safety of kids moving between Hendrys, Douglas Preserve and Elings - and peace in the neighborhood.

That doesn't quite read as a denial Jfitz.. I'm all for people expressing their honest opinion whether I agree with it or disagree. I object to "opinions" being offered that are bought and paid for. That is advertising not personal expression.

Perhaps it's just a coincidence that the only issues you care to read or comment on directly pertain to Davies Communications clients. Would you care to offer an opinion on a local issue that doesn't involve a DC client? is there a candidate in any of the upcoming elections you'd like to endorse (non-Davies Comm related please)?

I have no clue what you're talking about.  I was a serious Botanic Garden member - I volunteer now at Elings.  

While it is none of your business - I'm voting for Obama again.

Can I see your ID?

Seems if you're not in he club you have no say.  You are a bit narrow.

I think the bridge, creek clean up, new park and trail to Douglas and Hendrys is a great idea.

Let's talk issues.

Yes issues please, non Davies connected LOCAL issues and offices please.
The club here is individual citizens expressing their viewpoints and concerns- not paid promotional advertising which I believe runs counter to the Indy's terms of service.
So there really has been or is no other issue than the Botanical gardens and Measure Y that interests you or you have an opinion on?
Is President the only office you plan on voting on in June?

Thanks, Ken_Volok, for calling attention to JFitz's posts and how they are either pro the Vital Mission Plan of the Botanic Garden (now, happily for staff and visitors, abandoned) and Ed Schneider, very happily long gone, or siding with the developer of this benighted project. Davies Communications, the point in common: the SBBG paid Davies more than $900,000 for the PR work; when will the totals spent on this project be public?

As for Barney's column, many good points raised there, notably the speedway that is the state road, Las Positas. As for a bike route, there is one now along Elings Park land, paralleling Las Positas. It's good now but would be helped with being widened slightly and smoothed. No need to cross the often busy LP except at the existing stop sign at the intersection of Cliff and LP.

Is this the same Mark Lee who had an asbestos abatement company that was caught disguising and disposing asbestos at the landfill to avoid the more costly but legal means of disposal ?

Smear campaign article and the sad dog whisltes are;

Developer
Mark Lee
Davies Communications
Chicago

Of course no development is perfect. We'd all like to live in the world where land is developed for our homes and nothing ever changes around us. Our property development rights are exercised and we profit by sitting out our nest eggs but then deny anything else around us.

I am voting YES on Y and here's why;

1.) From the northside bicycles and pedestrians, joggers can choose to exit off of noisy, polluted and threatening HWY 225 or Las Positas 1 mile earlier on the way to Hendry.

2.) There will be several hundred feet of creek restoration at the owners expense; a good start and I am not holding my breath for this community with a huge backlog of creek restorations projects. I really wish the larger community was behind more creek restoration and with funding. But it is not. So this project will be a big help.

3.) Alan Rd residents should be appeased because the new homes will not be using there street for access for pesky motorized traffic, which is environmentally preferred, but politically not attainable. I guess they don't want bicycle riders, walkers, joggers and perhaps even skateboard riders passing through their enclave. Understandable but not really fair considering the motorized traffic their secluded enclave generates.

4.) Substantial Property Taxes and other associated taxes with new inhabitants. We need growth. We need good growth. I'd prefer different transferred development rights into the more urbanized core but this community doesn't want to have a conversation about that. So I wouldn't want to deny property rights over lack of policy.

5.) The new bridge will span Arroyo Burro Creek rather than be embedded in it.

6.) I don't know for sure but maybe the new span may be beneficial by providing access for the fire fighters at a crucial location, possibly preventing the Mesa from burning to the ground. Speculative I know but so is this landslide threat expressed by project opponents.

So I do respect all the opinions and players and comments expressed I just disagree and I am still convinced to vote YES on Y.

(for disclosure I do not know Mark Lee or Davies Com.)

Voting No,

Great Article. Lets hope the Voters see through the Spin (BS) that the pro y people are putting out.

I never knew a poisoned Kool-Aid vendor set up a stand there on Las Positas Road.

Vote NO and we get to KILL the whole project and do it right from the start instead of through the Davies Greenwashing!

I might disagree with your opinion on this issue Don just as much as I often disagree with your choice of words on issues we agree on, but at least your opinion is genuine and not paid for.
I'm surprised Measure Y doesn't have enough red flags for you yet.

Speaking of spin I just received my first No on Y mailing today. I guess from the photo and caption you're supposed to assume that the entire Las Positas Valley would be developed and all the open space would disappear. In reality the project is so small you probably won't even notice it driving by. Riding or walking by you might even appreciate the open space better and notice the restored creek while using the path provided by the project for the public to use.

John_Adams is a bigger dreamer than I am. The inhabitants of the city, county, et al have little will and have limited resources to "do it right." Similarly regarding that stretch of Las Positas Road; the city council just 2 weeks ago rejected taking over HWY 225 or that stretch for reasons of assuming liability and maintenance. No entity, not the city, county or state can afford existing infrastructure let alone restore creeks. We need tax revenue. Too many in the community think creek restoration a frivolous expenditure so we must rely on 2% of TOT (visitors), perhaps some dwindling grants, and in this case a developer willing to do some horsetrading.

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?

Well one reason why is because the costs are so staggering due to the numerous creeks that need repair/restoration. Mission Creek and Arroyo Burro aren't the only creeks in need of attention.

Another reason is property owners. The city went through a process ten or so years ago and the property owners came out in droves against any changes to even draw back development from the creeks banks. Again transfer of property rights or front yard setbacks adjusted forward could have been trade off solutions. But the property owners were all bug eyed pissed and couldn't even think about solutions to creek cleanup and periodic flooding problems. And we all end up paying for private property cleanup when there is a flood.

The city did some really nice work on Mission Creek at Talant Road and downstream some function improvements to the channelized section and two bridge replacements and restorations downtown recently. These are big ticket items.

A dirty roadway storm run-off project was completed along and behind Adams Elementary School and on the Muni Golf Course property in the form of bio-swells that are pretty impressive and hopefully doing its job at filtering for Arrow Burro creek and flood control for the Apple Peach Grove neighborhood. Go check it out. Incredible numbers of native wildlife has returned.

But that's only what the city can do when it has cooperative property owners and funding. This Veronica Meadows project owner will restore 1800 feet of the creek at the owners expense. The trade-off is the span across the creek. I think that is just one good trade off with this project. Still voting Yes on Y.

Don, I believe you sincerely believe that Lee will restore that creek, but what he calls restoration every scientist who's looked at his plan says will wreak permanent destruction on the creek.

Ken_Volok et al ; There are, I think, at least two hyperbolic scientist commenters here. And they're both using pseudonyms and they have questionable agendas. The restoration will be under public and peer review and constant scrutiny by various agencies. That is the place for "scientist" input.

What exactly is their questionable agenda? Its not a restoration Lee has planned Mr. McDermott, its intellectual dishonest for you to keep calling it that since the facts have been amply presented. Maybe you with your property on Los Positas stand to profit somehow?

Yet you think nothing of the two Davies Communications astroturfers who keep posting here! Hypocrisy!