The Marin Post

The Voice of the Community

Blog Post < Previous | Next >

Local Control - Sustainable TamAlmonte

Hurray! The Ballot Measure For Local Control Can Save The Day!

Hurray! The ballot measure for local control can save the day!

Please support the "Californians for Community Planning Initiative".

This measure will amend the State Constitution to ensure zoning, land-use and development decisions are made at the local level, and to stop the multitude of legislative bills like SB-9 and SB-10, emanating from Sacramento that seek to override municipal and county control over land-use and development. They hope to put this measure on the ballot for the General Election on November 8, 2022.

Proponents will have 180 days, after the Attorney General issues the Title and Summary, to gather enough signatures to qualify the initiative for the November 2022 ballot. Over 1 million signatures will be required. In addition, they will need millions of dollars to successfully promote the measure.

The "Californians for Community Planning Initiative" is very similar to the Assembly Constitutional Amendment - ACA-7, which was introduced by Assembly Member Al Muratsuchi and Senator Steve Glazer. Please click HERE to read my (Sharon Rushton's) article about ACA-7, which is entitled; "Constitutional Amendment Aims To Restore Local Control", and learn about the benefits of the amendment. So far the State legislature has blocked this Assembly Constitutional Amendment. In contrast, the ballot measure, "California for Community Planning Initiative", will bypass the legislature and go directly to the voters.

To learn more about the ballot measure, please scroll down and read the PRESS RELEASE. In addition, please follow the below links to watch a video about the measure and read the Initiative Text and FAQs.

**Most importantly, please donate money to the cause and volunteer your time. (See the below links to donate and volunteer.) Volunteer opportunities include signature gathering, door to door flyer distribution, phone calls, texts to voters, hosting a fundraising party, and networking.

Link to the Video: https://youtu.be/rXyValtxDQ0

Link to the Initiative Text: https://www.communitiesforchoice.org/initiative-text/

Link to FAQs: https://www.communitiesforchoice.org/faq/

Link to Donate Money to the Cause: https://www.communitiesforchoice.org/support/

Link to Volunteer: https://www.communitiesforchoice.org/volunteer/

Link to More Information: www.communitiesforchoice.org

-----

PRESS RELEASE

Redondo Beach, CA —

August 25, 2021

Today, a bipartisan group of proponents from Northern and Southern California have filed the Californians for Community Planning Initiative to protect local control of zoning, land-use and development. The initiative was filed for title and summary with the State Attorney General, starting the process to place the Initiative on the ballot for the General Election on November 8, 2022.

Proponents and supporters of the initiative include elected local government officials, affordable housing advocates and everyday Californians that reject efforts to strip local communities and local elected officials of their ability to plan and implement zoning and other land use policies." This measure will amend the State Constitution to ensure zoning, land-use and development decisions are made at the local level, and to stop the multitude of legislative bills like SB9 and SB10, emanating from Sacramento that seek to override municipal and county control over land-use and development.

Specifically, it provides that any county or city ordinance or regulation “that regulates the zoning or use of land within the boundaries” of the city or county will not be a state affair, with few exceptions such as the Coastal Act. These amendments will supersede the centralized State land-use planning that will eliminate single-family zoning in California, gentrify neighborhoods and destroy the unique 2 characteristics of each community, as well as place great burdens on cities and counties to properly govern their communities.

The need for affordable housing is not being solved by State Legislation. Recently enacted, and currently proposed legislation by the State only addresses market-rate and luxury housing while eroding the ability of local communities to plan for future environmental and economic challenges and support the critical infrastructure necessary for public health and safety services including schools, police and fire services. Local cities and counties are uniquely capable and best suited to analyze and protect the characteristics, constraints, and needs of their communities.

“For far too long, California has relied on a broken land use planning system driven by Sacramento politicians and special interests that incentivizes over-development of market rate housing, without nearly enough emphasis on creating more affordable housing or mixed-income communities that our neighborhoods need in order to thrive. This initiative changes that by restoring power over land use and zoning decisions to the people who live in the communities directly affected and their local representatives, and ensures that we the people get to determine what our neighborhoods look like instead of relying on one-size-fits-all social engineering policies from Sacramento.” said John Heath, President of United Neighbors Homeowners’ Association, Los Angeles, CA

Tags

Californians for Community Planning Initiative, Communities for Choice, Sustainable TamAlmonte, SB-9, SB-10, AB-1401