We have met the enemy...
and the enemy is us", says Council Member Brian Barnwell. This quote is a variation on an American Naval Commander's words after a naval battle: “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.” This more updated version was first used in the comic strip “Pogo,” by Walt Kelly, in the 1960s and referred to the turmoil caused by the Vietnam War.
Are we in for a protracted land war in Asia over development on upper State? Sound in here about a moratorium....do we really need to pay someone $200,000 to tell us there is a lot of traffic here?
Are we in for a protracted land war in Asia over development on upper State? Sound in here about a moratorium....do we really need to pay someone $200,000 to tell us there is a lot of traffic here?
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 4/26/2006 06:07:00 AM
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14 Comments:
No, no, no...Walt Kelly wrote his famous line for Earth Day in 1970. The site that you pasted from was wrong.
Yes, Sara we MAY need to hire independent experts, especially if the alternative is to rely on the biased opinions of developers "consultants" and/or the elected officials whose elections they have supported.
A lot is at stake here. Ask anyone who has watched parts of L.A. and Ventura Counties be transformed often because of officials burying their heads in the sand by piecemealing approvals of projects based upon questionable promises made by developers.
I go way back to the Trader Joes on Ventura Blvd---not a problem, won't impact congestion, many said twenty years ago. Go there now and see how that panned out.
200k is a small price to pay [especially when looking at the city's larger budget and expenditures] for some degree of enlightened approach to planning the upper state st corridor. and please, I don't want to hear how "that can't happen here"......it can, and it is....
The point Barnwell was trying to make was that the growth in traffic was by exiisting SantaBarbarians and their growing families and thirst for second and third large vehicles per household. His point was that traffic was not really by new projects being built, so the enemy was thus "US".
As for the cost of the whole study, that seems typical for how this City likes to spend on consultants. All that work would have to be done for the General Plan Update anyway. The politicking that was done, though, is to start this study as a way to pospone dealing with the numerous large projects that individually would have to be reviewed and voted upon, so this study is a defacto moritorium that gives hope to the developers that they will get something approved, without calling it a Moratorium that requires a formal City Ordinance.
Or, the Council and Planning Commission simply could vote NO on the projects when they come up. Fat Chance on that, though...
Awesome. Where do I apply for the job? I would be happy to count cars on upper State Street. $200K is a living wage, baby!! Woo hoo!!
Next up...local government is hiring a consultant to see if bears really do sh** in the woods.
well, 12:00, I hope govt would do so if it appeared that so-called experts hired by bear-ish developers were claiming that "no, in fact, bear shit does not really present a problem and in fact the more bears the city allowed, the LESS bear shit we would have".
so, yes, at that point I would hope the city would hire an independent bear-shit expert.
Common Sense,
I do think I get your point. But if experts hired by bear-ish developers told our local government officials that sticking hot needles in their eyes was safe, I would hope that our leaders would use their common sense and know better.
But I do get your point. If the City govt needs a study to strengthen its backbone, so be it. Let's just hope the "consultant" isn't in somebody's pocket. Hope hope hope hope...
Until the study is completed, I think there should be a moratorium on all development in that upper State Street area, certainly a moratorium on all major developments such as are looming, the Whole Foods, plus the return of Berkus.
How can there be a year-long study and yet have these developments go forward?! Doesn't make any sense.
Das is willing to fight the good fight. Everytime a building is sold on state street the city should change the zoning on it. Change to public benefit which would take away commercial or residential use. In this manner we can make state street a less crowded and hectic place. We would also make the property owners be committed to making their building safer and more appealing. State street is an eye sore of hodge podge development which makes very little sense. We need to take it back and re-create our enviroment.The other way to recreate our enviroment would be to limit 101 access to state street. Make people find alternatives to going there.
Sara---why no post about the FInance Cmte meeting and issue of Harbor slip fees, etc? Seems pretty relevant and thought provoking esp with all the political posturing on all sides of it.........
I agree -- and I've been thinking about it as the article went into some detail of the dynamics of the Williams/Falcone relationship -- or lack thereof.
Thanks for the feedback -- I'll look at that more and maybe post something tomorrow.
With all due respect the tired old Iya-Das saw has become a bit passe'. They don't like each other. They are rivals. Next?
I concur with old 9:30. Is this a sitcom or a government? Enough with it.
8:30 is classic Das-speak. Many words and concludes nothing, but touches on many possiblities. I don't like it. I don't buy it. Das is the grab-bag candidate. You know, like when you go into a novelty store and pay a dollar for a grab-bag, hoping that something you really want is inside. There are many possibilities, but you don't know what you're getting until after you've bought it. No thank you!
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