What the right to vote initiative will do

In a previous LB post we pointed out that some of the developments that some people don't "like" will not be impacted by the passage of the initiative. Exactly!

The initiative does not impact developers who want to develop within their current development rights.

Developers wanting to exceed the provisions of the general plan must be approved by a vote, today. Today they must get voter approval, unless they get 4/5ths of the council to vote to approve an upzone. No land speculator has the right to an upzone without a vote, today.

Today a cool-aid drinking or developer sponsored council super majority can easily approve (by a vote) major intensification of zoning. High school buddies, pet projects, campaign contributors, and evidence-avoidant urban design principles can result truly perpetual changes to our city, our property values, and quality of life. 

Do we want Encinitas to be a place where our children want to live?

Peoples of Encinitas, itis coming. The population will be growing. Do you want to have a direct say or do you want 4 people to decide how that happens?

If we are going to have upzoning proposals for developments like this:

it sure would be cool if the voters had a direct say on whether or not the proposal was a net benefit to the public.

With the voters deciding, directly,  developers and city leaders will be much more likely propose upzones that truly benefit both the developer and the public, rather than being projects that burden the public in exchange for unearned windfall profits to land speculators, and have some sort of token superficial marketing level benefit. The voters will require a fair balance, not just feel good jingles.

As seen in other municipalities, the right to vote will not stop upzoning. It will facilate the sharing of the balance of benefits between the public and land speculators. It will also help keep the land speculators from monkeying with our city council elections because there will no longer be a multi-million dollar monetary incentive for buying influence on the council.

Passage of the right-to-vote initiative won't impact any developments that are in line with the current general plan. It does not stop upzoning. Upzoning can be good.

The right-to-vote initiative doesn't change which proposals must be approved by a vote. It would allow you to vote on proposals for jumps in density that will make special people super rich and the rest of us, stuck in traffic.