Save Granite Bay

Our concerns with information provided by our Supervisor and the County Planning Department are outlined below. The statements attributed to Supervisor Uhler are not precise quotes, instead being our recollection of statements by him. Some may have also come from County Planning Department Staff.

Uhler:

"The State requires Community Plan Updates The State will stop us from issuing building permits if we dont update the Plan . Developers will sue us if we dont update the Plan. The State highly recommends Community Plan Updates every 10 to 15 years"

SGB:

All of these statements are incorrect. In reality the State only recommends occasional Reviews (not Updates) and that applies to the County General Plan, not our Community Plan (though our Community Plan must conform to any requirements the County General Plan places on it).

Uhler:

"The Community Plan has not been updated in 20 years...." Both Uhler and the MAC have repeated this comment frequently in supporting the Update.

SGB:

The Community Plan cover says "Updated June 28, 2005 Board of Supervisors Resolution #2005-149" and other updates are listed just inside. A letter from the State also lists multiple updates.

Uhler:

"Our outreach is working, over 400 people attended our Feb. 11 Community Meeting"

SGB:

Yes, but 90% of those present raised a hand voting to not change the Community Plan. Neither Uhler nor the County Staff have mentioned this meeting since it occurred..

Uhler:

"All those that did not attend the Feb. 11 Community Meeting support my Community Plan Update." A MAC member said something similar at the April MAC meeting!

SGB:

This is audacity at it's worst. It is illogical.

Uhler:

"I do not support increasing the allowable square footage of commercial property beyond what is in the Plan today. "

SGB:

We don't know what this means. He uses these same words carefully each time. Why not say no "re-zones to commercial on Douglas" if that is what it means? Nonetheless, Uhler has not spoken against the many Douglas re-zone requests being entertained by the County Staff.

Uhler:

"I have recommended to our planning staff that this plan update included a reduction in the build-out population of 20 percent, from 29,000 down to 23,000. "

RDGB:

We welcome this, but the County Planning Director said in a MAC meeting that reducing the cap is not possible. And, Uhler has not acted in any way to support the idea.

Uhler:

"I believe everyone in the community should have equal opportunity to review the plan and make suggestions"

SGB:

This statement defends the County's Divide and Conquer approach which requires that individual residents must each, on their own, make the effort to learn the process and file letters and forms and respond to an overwhelming and onerous survey. No other form of community input is being accepted as was the case with prior updates when community committees actually conducted the update or review.

Uhler:

"The review process was initiated in January, when a letter was sent to every property owner in the GBCP area, inviting them to submit their requests for a rezone, residential to commercial, or density increase.

RDGB:

If this is a "Review," why start with developer and resident requests for re-zones? Why not review the assumptions and policies of the existing plan first to provide guidance on what changes are feasible and needed? Two months later, under huge community pressure, the County added a second form inviting residents to request "policy" changes. You can use this form to ask for no policy changes or just a cap.

Uhler:

"As your County Supervisor, and a resident of this community for nearly 40 years who has watched with great pride as we have developed into one of the finest communities in the Sacramento region, that is my commitment to you."

SGB:

This is the same man who tried vehemently to remove the 300 foot Douglas setback in the early 90s, telling a crowd of 65 people in the Library meeting room, "you are wrong and I am right" and said something quite similar to 400 residents at the Feb. 11 Community Meeting.

Uhler:

"... doing piecemeal changes to a community plan isn't planning. It is reacting. Piecemeal development leads to higher traffic impacts, less certainty for property owners and diminishes the value of having a community plan."

SGB:

Nicely said, but said by the man that just months ago orchestrated the piecemeal re-zone of 700 feet of Douglas Blvd frontage from residential to commercial west of Lake Center for a car wash and office buildings. And, did so over huge and unanimous public outcry, simply ignoring the 300 ft setback on the property.