|
August
2008 | by Art
Olson
A
hastily assembled
special meeting
of the Gas Station
Site Steering
Committee on July
24, following
City Council's
deliberations
on the Garden
Del Mar Project's
Specific Plan,
though heated
at times, has
hopefully brought
a more reasoned
perspective to
the efforts to
move the Plan
to a November
vote. The meeting
was precipitated
by the e-mail
withdrawal of
the project by
Bryn Stroyke,
the developer,
who cast blame
on remarks regarding
the Exceptional
Public Benefits
(EPBs) made by
individual members
of the Steering
Committee at the
Council Meeting
on 21 July.
The
purpose of the
special meeting,
according to Council
sub-committee,
Dave Druker and
Richard Ernest,
was to explain
the differences
between the EPBs
they brought before
the Council, and
those recommended
by the Steering
Committee. It
was those differences
that prompted
Deborah Groban,
Brooke Eisenberg-Pike,
and me to make
our remarks at
the council meeting.
Discussion
between the Council
members and the
Committee at the
special meeting
centered on the
EPBs and ideas
that could bring
the Committee
and Council closer
to agreement on
what might be
appropriately
proposed to the
developers.
With
over 30 members
of the community
present there
was no absence
of public input,
and, in my view,
several misconceptions
propagated through
the discussion.
All of the public
comments at the
meeting expressed
strong support
for the project,
but most argued
for formal endorsement
from the Committee.
Several implied
that our comments
at Monday's Council
meeting were intended
to derail the
project and that
we would be to
blame if the project
does not go forward.
In
fact, the Steering
Committee was
tasked to facilitate
community input
to the Specific
Plan process as
dictated by Measure
B. We were not
formed as a deliberative
body, and were
assured that indeed
it was not our
role as a Committee
to endorse the
final plan. In
the 60 or so meetings
that we conducted,
it is on record
that all of our
discussions leading
to our recommendations
were motivated
to create a Specific
Plan that appeals
to the largest
cross-section
of Del Mar voters.
We operated knowing
that it is the
City Council's
role to negotiate
and decide the
final form of
the Specific Plan,
including the
EPBs. Also on
record is the
Committee's statement
of our rights
to express or
withhold our individual
opinions.
By
meeting's end,
the Committee
and Council liaisons
agreed on revised
EPBs that they
felt would help
put the Garden
back on the path
to a November
vote:
1)
The same $25/month
condo fee designated
for affordable
housing program but
instead of
fee's in perpetuity,
fees for 30
years. Designated
use of fees
reviewed at
year 20.
2)
A percentage of
total revenue
generated from
the sales and
other income from
the property to
the developers
with both the
percentage and
a floor and ceiling
amount negotiated
between the City
Council Subcommittee
and the developers.
The funds from
this EPB would
be designated
for park improvements.
back
to the lead article: New
Curves in the
Garden Path web
exclusive update:
City
Council
Takes
Key
Action
to
Approve
Garden
Del
Mar
Project
for
the
Ballot
© 2007-08
Del Mar Community
Alliance, Inc. All
rights reserved. |
