Slow growth doesn’t work for Greenlight

I, too, take exception to the characterization of the Greenlight

movement as “slow growth.”

Measure S (the Greenlight Initiative) forces a citywide vote on

projects that substantially exceed the parameters of the general plan

(From the Newsroom, “Sorry, but the adjectives stay,” Aug. 5 by Tony

Dodero).

Dodero says “exceeds certain thresholds within the city’s general

plan.”

This is misleading, as no vote is required on projects conforming

to the general plan. The City Council has repeatedly approved

projects substantially larger and with greater impact than allowed by

the general plan. So the people passed an initiative to take back

control of projects exceeding general plan limits.

He acknowledges that past city councils had failed to keep

development “in check,” and then went on to use a chess analogy to

say that not many moves are available when you’re in check. I don’t

think the general plan keeps development in check; it’s there to

regulate and control it for the benefit of the citizens, just the

same as the laws regulating other forms of conduct, such as driving.

Let’s compare this to a hypothetical situation: The speed limit on

Balboa Boulevard is 35 mph, but if a motorist feels it’s important

enough, he can apply to the City Council, and maybe they will grant

him a special permit to allow him to drive 60 mph on that road, and

the other citizens must like it or lump it.

If the citizens who oppose this practice were to pass an

initiative requiring a vote of the people to ratify such special

permits, would you call them “slow-drive” proponents?

So Greenlight might slow down growth, but the only kind of growth

being slowed down is the kind similar to the special permit legalized

speeding in the hypothetical situation above.

ED VAN DEN BOSSCHE

Newport Beach