Category: Community

No Rubber Stamp – SD PC Denies QB Initiation Amendment

::  JULY 19TH VOTE IS IN ::

San Diego Planning Commissioners vote 4-1:
NO to Initiate Amendment
NO to Department Staff’s Recommendation

Cogentrix/Goldman Sachs has option to appeal to SD City Council –  Fight continues

New Articles- Hot off the Presses:

rubber-stamp:     ^ Webster’s NewWorld Dictionary, Second College Edition, ISBN 0-671-41809-2 – page 1242 – ”  *rubber-stamp 2. [Colloq.] to approve or endorse in a routine manner, without thought – *rubber stamp – 2. [Colloq.] a) a person, bureau, legislature, etc., that approves or endorses something in a routine manner, without thought, b) any routine approval”

Cogentrix Rep Presents Plan at Navajo Planning Committee

Lori Ziebart, Cogentrix Project Manager, appeared at the June 18th Navajo Community Planners meeting to present the Quail Brush Power Plant plans and answer the board’s questions.  It was at the request of Council Member Marti Emerald that the board be apprised of the power plant issue.  Chairman Allen Jones repeated several times that board had no intention of voting one way or the other on the issue and seemed perplexed (and peeved?) that the issue had come to their table.  It didn’t seem to occur to him that it would be a good gesture to stand in solidarity with fellow San Diego communities, and our Santee neighbors by opposing the Quail Brush Power Plant which calls for a rezoning from Open Space to Industrial.

As you can see, the room was filled with people opposed to the power plant.  Ziebart took eight minutes to present her case.

The Navajo Community Planners council, led by Chair Allen Jones (center in orange striped shirt) granted eight minutes to four members of the audience to speak out in opposition to the power plant.

Although the room was full of people who wanted to ask questions or make statements regarding the power plant – many of them Navajo community members – Mr. Jones ended the meeting claiming that everyone had to vacate the premises by 9 PM.  Community members who had been silenced (in violation of the Brown Act) would have been fine with standing out in the parking lot to deliver their comments.  When I mentioned this, I was told to “Be quiet and sit down!”

The woman in the white tee-shirt to the left of the flag (Lynn Murray, the Treasurer) verbally spanked me when she saw me writing comments in their “Sign-In” book.  She pulled the book out of my hands saying that it was “highly inappropriate” and that the group opposing the power plant had “all acted inappropriately.”  In her role as a host, she could have been much more sensitive, welcoming and kind.  The same goes for the rest of the board.  After all, isn’t that what a “community” group is all about?  Or am I missing something?

Have you written your letter yet?

“Act Now and You will have an Impact.” –Congressman Bob Filner addressing the San Diego River Coalition panel on the Quail Brush Power Plant proposal, May 18, 2012 (details below)

Make a commitment to write your letter to the CEC and San Diego Planning Commission by May 31.  Your time investment:  5-10 minutes, as we made it easy for you.  Click here for instructions.  A brief paragraph with your own words are best, or use talking points from the sample letter or other letters on the public docket.  Stong public opposition is a key ingredient in defeating this ill-conceived project.  Don’t delay; do your part today!  And THANK YOU to everyone who has already taken this action step.

“When they see opposition – that’s when they ask for more time. They are trying to narrow the situation to where their control is paramount…the CEC at the State level, where their money and influence and lobbyists all have their say and the public is left out…so this is a process, this is your chance to influence the process…And once the reports come out, Lori is going to come back and say the report is done. You should have been here earlier  – where were you? You’ve all watched this dozens of times. It’s too early when you’re opposed and then when you come back it’s too late. Act now and you will have an impact.”  –Congressman Bob Filner, May 18, 2012

The San Diego River Coalition authorized sending a letter opposing the Quail Brush Power Plant to key decision-makers at its regular meeting May 18, 2012:

“The mission of the San Diego River Coalition is to preserve and enhance the San Diego River, its watershed, and its natural, cultural and recreational resources. Locating an industrial power plant at the proposed location within the Mission Trails Design District of East Elliot would contradict and be incompatible with the mission, vision and principles of the San Diego River Coalition. Therefore, we urge you to oppose changes to ‘laws, ordinances, standards and regulations’(LORS) needed to site the ‘Quail Brush Power Plant’ within the Mission Trails Design District of East Elliot and upon a parcel one-half-mile from the San Diego River.”


Note: A list of fifty-nine San Diego River Coalition organizations can be found at http://www.sandiegoriver.org/coalition.php
The executive boards of some San Diego River Coalition organizations had not considered the Quail Brush issue prior to the meeting and did not authorize a vote by their representatives. Other organizations were absent. There was a single vote against sending the letter of opposition.

How much will your property value drop?

Click on the map to enlarge

How much will your property value drop? It depends on how close you are to the power plant. Here is a report from UC Berkeley that concluded a 3-7% decline in property value within 2 miles of a power plant after construction: click here to read “The Effect of Power Plants on Local Housing Values and Rents”

Here is the math:
A $250K home could be worth $232K
A $200K home could be worth $186K
A $150K home could be worth $139K

Don’t expect the radius to be a cut off point. Home values will drop if you live outside the 2 mile radius.  Lower home values almost always impact their neighbors.

Coming Fast – Urgent Action – Email by June 19th

We’ve learned that any letters sent to the Planning Commission prior to April 26th, must be re-sent by June 19th!   See our Email Activism page & act today!

 

Plan time off – Attend to defend!  City of SD Planning Commission Meeting – Thurs, Jun 28, 9 am  City Administration Building, 202 C Street, 12th flr (downtown San Diego).

Topic:  Initiation of a Community Plan amendment to allow the rezoning from residential to industrial to lay the legal framework to approve situating this power plant here.   If we succeed in getting the initiation to rezone denied or withdrawn, the power plant may not be sited there.

Parking is $17 at ACE parking lots, come early, take the trolley, or carpool.