Russ Steele’s blog provides some insight why the ERC is dysfunctional — an inability to get past political stereotyping.
Here’s what a former executive director of the ERC posted on Russ’ website: “My reference to growth was principally directed towards population growth, although there is a direct correlation to growth in business. Real estate development would follow, as needed, but that was not my thrust.
“When I first came aboard in 2005 it was made perfectly clear to me that Nevada City was pleased to remain at about 3,000 in population and would not welcome additional people into their community. There is an inherent problem with this mentality, and it relates to employment. The birth rate in Nevada City specifically does not equal the death rate — therefore, without an infusion of population from the outside, the town will eventually die. And so will business.
“The experience over the past few years has clearly demonstrated that businesses do fold, or downsize, or business owners retire. The paradox in Nevada City’s NIMBY philosophy is that eventually employment will suffer.
“And with the woeful economy we have experienced for the past several years, this problem has been exacerbated. Fortunately, the other cities/towns in Nevada County did not embrace this same philosophy.”
This is the same criticism that Nevada City gets from the political conservatives and developers who don’t get their way — as they do in Grass Valley.
But it’s an exaggeration. Case in point: Nevada City’s settlement agreement with Deer Creek Park II developers (Lance Amaral, Ken Baker) in 2007. It is here.
“It was an enormous victory to reach an agreement with the developers of Deer Creek Park II, benefiting not only Boulder Street but our entire city,” as City Councilwoman Sally Harris said in 2008. “The project was reduced from 193 to 62 new home sites, our Little Deer Creek watershed and water source was protected and a total of $249,000 will be provided to our general fund for impacts to our city.
“These tasks were accomplished with the help of all levels of city government.”
That’s not a no-growth posture. It’s a smart growth posture, and it’s a compromise. What’s wrong with that?
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Jeff:
Thanks for posting that agreement; I haven’t seen it in a long time. It was, as you say, an example of smart growth and compromise. And as you indicate, “What’s wrong with that?”
The final negotiations took place during my term as mayor and the agreement was executed during Sally’s term.
Councilwoman Sheila Stein and I were a committee of two that met with Lance Amaral, Ken Baker and attorney Jim Curtis. The three of them were at all times professional, courteous and appreciative of Nevada City’s goal to minimize the impacts to Boulder Street and to the Deer Creek drainage.
The council was given credit for holding the line against the proposed project, but the agreement you posted could not have been created without compromises from both the developer and the city. It took a long time, but eventually the process worked.
Thanks Steve. Until we get past the political stereotypes, the ERC is DOA.