Although I left before the end of the city council meeting, I received the following information. I will try to be as accurate as I can but if anyone has different information, please let me know so I can correct or add to this.
After hearing an extensive presentation on how and why the golf course driving range extension was the thing to do - with expert witnesses, pictures and even a couple of golf clubs - Councilman Sifuentes made a motion to direct staff to extend the driving range to the edge of the Nature Park. The city’s lawyer said that the Planning Department would have to perform an initial CEQA review. This motion got support only from Mayor Ten.
Councilman Putnam then made a motion to give staff direction to continue negotiating with the potential (though all through the meeting it sure sounded like Donovan Bros. was a done deal) new golf course operator to: 1) extend the driving range but only to the drip line of the most significant trees in the undeveloped area, and 2) to curve the fence as needed to keep those trees on the Nature Park side of the driving range fence. The motion passed unanimously.
Other than Mayor Ten, the council members felt the use of the land for the driving range extension was not about revenue but about balancing competing values and interests in the community.
The good news:
1. The issue was brought out into the open and not decided in closed session.
2. the city will have to do a determination of whether a complete CEQA review and an EIR are needed. This will allow for more public comment.
The bad news:
1. The city ran this meeting in a totally inappropriate and unfair way, indicating that at least some city council members believe that use of public land is the purview of five individuals without the need to consult the people they represent.
2. The land is still very much endangered and will only be saved if enough people participate in the process.
I was heartened to see so many people come and stay until well after 11 PM in support of preserving habitat!
After hearing an extensive presentation on how and why the golf course driving range extension was the thing to do - with expert witnesses, pictures and even a couple of golf clubs - Councilman Sifuentes made a motion to direct staff to extend the driving range to the edge of the Nature Park. The city’s lawyer said that the Planning Department would have to perform an initial CEQA review. This motion got support only from Mayor Ten.
Councilman Putnam then made a motion to give staff direction to continue negotiating with the potential (though all through the meeting it sure sounded like Donovan Bros. was a done deal) new golf course operator to: 1) extend the driving range but only to the drip line of the most significant trees in the undeveloped area, and 2) to curve the fence as needed to keep those trees on the Nature Park side of the driving range fence. The motion passed unanimously.
Other than Mayor Ten, the council members felt the use of the land for the driving range extension was not about revenue but about balancing competing values and interests in the community.
The good news:
1. The issue was brought out into the open and not decided in closed session.
2. the city will have to do a determination of whether a complete CEQA review and an EIR are needed. This will allow for more public comment.
The bad news:
1. The city ran this meeting in a totally inappropriate and unfair way, indicating that at least some city council members believe that use of public land is the purview of five individuals without the need to consult the people they represent.
2. The land is still very much endangered and will only be saved if enough people participate in the process.
I was heartened to see so many people come and stay until well after 11 PM in support of preserving habitat!
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