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Mariposans for the Environment and Responsible Government (Merg)
Comments On The 2006 Mariposa County General Plan Workshop Completion
 

Based on the public's comments between October 11 and October 17 workshop, the Board completed its review of the October 2006 version of the updated General Plan.  The meeting ended early this morning, 10/18, about 2:30 am.  The Board took a break about 1:30 am or so to decide whether to finish or continue the workshop.  They came back re-energized and told the handfull of folks still there they would finish at this workshop session.  While it was a painful process at times, the outcome proved that public participation works.  County staff and the county's consultant were amazing right up to the end.  The meeting was civil and cooperative also to the end, in spite of earlier in the day frustration that one speaker was allowed to take 1-1/4 hours at the podium.  At 2:30 am, folks were still, generally, in good humor.  The Board thanked the group for hanging in with them.
 
We believe that MERG's request for a Rural Character Protection alternative was well served, so far.  We need to thank our attorney and our planners for their support.  Our planner, Laurie Oberholtzer, was with us right up until the meeting ended this morning.  Her support was invaluable.  The Board accepted most of the mitigation measures associated with the Rural Character Protection alternative, and gave direction on the Conservation and Open Space mitigation measures to come back with new language that would be more acceptable to the Board.  The Mariposa County Farm Bureau and California Federation of Farm Bureaus made certain that language related to protection of ag lands and management of Williamson Act contracted land was clear and unambiguous.  Language that might have made it acceptable for conversion of some ag lands was removed.  We ended up with a mitigation measure that calls for developing a policy and methodology for "no net loss of ag lands in Mariposa County."
 
The Planning Commission's public hearing on the final document will be November 17.  We understand that it will be available to the public in early November...date not yet set.  The Board's final public hearing is during the first week in December.  It is scheduled for final adoption at that meeting.
 
A number of important items not included in final Board direction have been flagged for further evaluation and consideration.  We'd like to see these dealt with in time for the Planning Commission and Board public hearings.   At the very latest, due to their importance, we want to see these dealt with during the first round of General Plan amendments.  Besides the Conservation and Open Space mitigation measures, one item that we failed to get adoption on that is of great importance to MERG is a land carrying capacity limit on the number of 2-1/2 acre parcels.  The five acre density and some land use policies will offer some protection, but not total protection.  The way this policy is currently written will permit creative developers to maximize density without a set of standards on what the land will sustain.

 

    

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