Save Granite Bay

The Granite Bay Community Plan is being overhauled at the direction of our Supervisor.  He has provided multiple reasons for the overhaul, all of which have proven untrue.  Developers holding land in Granite Bay stand to reap tens of millions of dollars in profit if the land they hold is re-zoned from residential to commercial or is rezoned to higher density housing.  Our Supervisor depends on developers to fund his political campaigns.  Follow the Money.

Below are statements made by Supervisor Uhler (not precise quotes), followed by the truth.

Uhler:

"The State requires Community Plan Updates. The State will stop us from issuing building permits if we don't update the Plan. Developers will sue us if we don't 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 several other updates are listed just inside.

Uhler:

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

SGB:

The letter inviting residents to this meeting said they would have input and the update would not go forward if they didn't want changes. Over 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." MAC member Eric Sanchez said the same thing in the April 2009 MAC meeting!

SGB:

This is audacity at it's worst. And woefully 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. And he did orchestrate the 2008 rezone of 700 feet of Douglas frontage from 300' setback to commercial (the “carwash” project near Lake Center).

Uhler:

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

SGB:

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 this idea. It's obviously flak to throw the public off of his trail.

Uhler:

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

SGB:

This statement defends Uhler's Divide and Conquer approach which in which he requires individual residents, on their own, to 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 wherein community committees conducted the update or review.

Uhler:

"The review process was initiated in January of 2009, 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.

SGB:

If this is a "Review," why start with developer and resident requests for re-zones? Why not review the assumptions, policies and goals of the existing plan first to determine first if any zoning changes make sense? Or why not use the existing goals and policies that have proven so successful in creating the community we enjoy today?

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, 2009 Community Meeting on the Plan overhaul.  Two more such meetings were to be held but have not occurred.

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 in 2008 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 from neighbors near and far. He simply ignored the existing 300 ft setback on that property.