🚀 go-pugleaf

TO : All individuals and organizations concerned about protection of San
Diego County's natural resources, wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes, and
sensitive habitats. Please forgive any duplicate announcements.

RE: OH MY GOSH! * URGENT * Status & Actions to save RPO (Resource
Protection Ordinance)
        * Summary of Proposed Changes * YIKES! OUCH!
FR: Dan Silver, Michael Beck, Carolyn Chase, Endangered Habitats League


The County of San Diego's "Resource Protection Ordinance" [RPO] is a
critical tool in support of  natural resource protections and all regional
habitat planning processes. Last November, County Supervisor Horn moved to
repeal, break up and otherwise weaken and reduce RPO. His proposals
resulted in a 40-page staff technical report.

The CONCLUSION in the staff report reads as follow:
"If all of the above staff recommendations are eventually implemented RPO
would be completely rescinded."

We need to demonstrate that the *mainstream public* is not going to just sit on the 
sidelines while local environmental protections are dismantled in similar ways as 
is happening at the federal and state levels.

It will be necessary for as many people as possible to attend and give
testimony at:

*****>The Planning Commission * Friday, January 19 * 9AM * 5201 Ruffin Rd,
Ste. B. (SE corner of Clairemont Mesa Blvd. & Ruffin, east off of 805)

*****>Board of Supervisors * Wednesday, January 24 * "TIME CERTAIN" 2PM
Pacific Coast Highway County Admin Bldg., ROOM 358. Note: this is not the
normal hearing room

The goal at both of these meetings is to get a continuance. The proposed
changes are significant. More time is required to allow both the public and
the Supervisors to consider the wisdom and appropriateness of the changes.
There are no pressing reasons to make such large changes at this time.
However, there is reason to believe that, contrary to staff's report,
significant environmental impacts could result from any changes accepted at
this time without sufficient public and scientific review.

*****>IF you can attend either of these  please let Carolyn know. Call
(619)272-2930, fax (619)272-2933 Or with any questions.

If you cannot attend, it is important that you call, write or fax your
support for:
        - continuing any action until the public has had sufficient notice
to review the complicated changes being proposed.
        - taking no action to decrease environmental protections desired by
the citizens of San Diego County and future residents and visitors.

*****> Public comments on "Negative Declaration" are due by January 18 at
4:00pm.
Required to legally begin the process of dismantling RPO under CEQA, the
staff also issued and publicly noticed a "Negative Declaration" - (Neg
Dec), an opinion that certain of the proposed changes would not result in
"significant adverse environmental impacts." We disagree.

Comments can be faxed to: (619)694-3373, Mailed to: Tom Oberbauer, SD County
Dept. of Planning & Land Use, 5201 Ruffin Rd. Suite B, San Diego CA
92123-1666. Direct questions to: (619)694-3700. Comments not received by the
18th can still be sent and/or entered into the public record at the hearing
on the 24th.

*****> IF  you are able to send in comments on the Neg Dec OR wish to
receive additional summary info on the exact changes, (an additional two
pages), please send a request. Also available is a copy of Dan Silver's
full response to the Neg Dec (4 pages) and EHL recommendations  (5 pages)
on acceptable ways to streamline and improve the RPO for both business, the
public and the environment.

*****> If you are able to call and 'engage' via phone any of the
Supervisor's staff on this issue, please do so and call Carolyn (272-2930)
with any responses.  We need to compel our representatives to ENGAGE on
these issues and discuss their rationale and justifications throughout this
process.

******> First on the Chopping Block
The items in the Neg Dec which the Supervisors could take action on January
24th are:
1: Elimination of RPO Study requirement.
2. Elimination of RPO fee requirements
3. Elimination of the criminal provisions of RPO, and
4. The deletion of the floodplain regulations and placement of a lessened
set into a separate ordinance: "The Flood Damage Protection Ordinance
(FDPO).

Dan Silver has taken the time to review the changes word-for-word against
the existing ordinance and the staff report and drafted a 4-page response.
This is available upon request. OR a 2-page summary is also available.

*****> Next in line.
For other serious proposed changes, the staff report found that an
Environmental Impact Report would have to be done prior to the Board taking
action.  Because the staff recommends an EIR, it is unlikely, but not
impossible that the Board would take action on the 24th.

These areas include key changes to:
1. Allow increased grading and development of steep slopes
2. Increase allowed net-loss of habitats
3. Remove all local wetland regulations to "rely" on Fed and State -
meaning a loss of local control of wetlands.
4. Changes and reductions in protections of Historic and prehistoric sites.

++++++++++++++++++++++
CONTACT INFORMATION:
        Write to: County Board of Supervisors, 1600 Pacific Highway, S.D. 92101
Call or FAX: All area codes are (619)
        District 1: Greg Cox 531-5511           FAX: 557-4025
        District 2: Dianne Jacob 531-5522       FAX: 696-7523
        District 3: Pam Slater 531-5533         FAX: 234-0559
        District 4: Chair Ron Roberts 531-5544  FAX: 685-2252
<---------Chairman
        District 5: Bill Horn 531-5555          FAX: 685-2662

***>If you wish you can fax to the Chair's Office and with a request at the
top that they distribute to others. If you're not sure which District
you're in call the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, at 531-5600.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks for anything you can do. CC: copies to us if you can. Please COPY &
POST  & TELL YOUR FRIENDS!