Victoria Brandon
Lake Group Chair

Issues related to growth, development, and sustainability continue to dominate the Lake Group's attention. Several tumultuous meetings took place in January and February. First, the Planning Commission made an ominous recommendation that the upcoming General Plan be revised specifically to facilitate a proposed mega-subdivision. Supervisor Ed Robey then suggested the county might prudently pause in its approvals for all major subdivisions until the new General Plan is in place. Since the new plan is based on smart growth principles that greatly improve on the old one, and since the planning process alone can effectively prevent Lake County from turning into San Fernando North, this proposal met with a great deal of popular support, as expressed cogently and reasonably by a varied group of community leaders (including two ex-supervisors, members of several Citizens' Advisory Committees, respected realtors, and representatives of the Sierra Club and Farm Bureau) at a January 24 meeting. After hours of discussion and the introduction of several amendments, the proposed ordinance seemed to have the four vote super-majority required for passage, although the alterations had triggered a legal requirement to postpone the vote till another meeting.

comment was limited to two minutes, and even more fortunately all but a small number of those present preferred clapping, stomping, and shouting to speaking, or the meeting would have lasted all night. During the subsequent deliberation it seemed plain that at least one and probably two Board members were going to vote against the proposed timeout, which added to another Supervisor who had opposed it all along made passage impossible, so Robey withdrew it. The crowd made some more noise and that was that.