Slow Growth Initiative

In her inaugural address as chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Harriett M. Wieder challenged the growing ranks of slow-growth advocates in her county. In reality, she is responding to their challenge, which is in the form of a ballot initiative. Among other statements, the initiative says loud and clear that we have had it with a representative government that has proven time and time again that it cannot keep up with growth issues in the county. Please, hear the voices and heed the signatures on the petitions, Mrs. Wieder.

Proponents of a landmark slow-growth measure passed in 2000 say Newport Beach officials are misinterpreting the initiative. Greenlight, the group that helped draft and pass the initiative calling for a citizen vote on major projects, alleges that the city is skirting the intent of the measure by exempting hotels and theaters from its requirements.

A group called "Citizens for Traffic Solutions, No on A" is opposing the slow-growth initiative, Measure A. They know that a large number of voters go to the ballot box with only partial information regarding issues and candidates. Therefore, in an attempt to defeat the initiative for their own special interests, they have attempted to paint Measure A as a traffic initiative rather than as a slow-growth initiative. If Measure A wins, traffic won't get much better. However, it won't get much worse.

Voters across Orange County delivered split results in three fiercely fought land-use battles, including passing a Newport Beach measure that allows residents to directly decide the fate of many major developments. But slow-growth initiatives in Brea and San Clemente were defeated by slim margins Tuesday, with pollsters noting that both measures were sure wins until the opposition was suddenly injected with landowner cash for stepped-up "voter education campaigns."

Do "slow-growth" initiatives work? Convinced that local officials are unable or unwilling to cope with the problems created by California's continuing population boom, local citizens are turning increasingly to ballot measures to slow down growth.

A slow-growth ballot measure in Newport Beach has alarmed developers and lobbying groups across the state, who are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to kill it. The developers say Measure S, the grass-roots initiative that would require citywide votes on major developments, would cripple the city's economy and spark more efforts elsewhere. They have raised $405,061 in support of a dueling initiative, Measure T, that would cancel Measure S.

A slow-growth ballot measure here has alarmed developers and lobbying groups across the state who are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to kill an initiative they say would cripple the economy of the ritzy seaside city, and spark more efforts elsewhere. The developers have raised $405,061 in support of a dueling initiative, Measure T, that would cancel Measure S, the grass-roots initiative that would require future citywide votes on major developments. The Newhall Land Co.

A slow-growth ballot measure in Newport Beach has alarmed developers and lobbying groups statewide who are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to kill an initiative they say would cripple the economy of the ritzy seaside city and spark similar efforts elsewhere. The developers have raised $405,061 in support of a dueling initiative, Measure T, that would cancel Measure S, the grass-roots initiative that would require citywide votes on major developments.

Fearful that this farm town will languish in poverty, Councilman Roger Campbell said Wednesday that he will probably ask the City Council to place a rival growth-control measure on the November ballot if a more restrictive anti-sprawl initiative qualifies for the fall election. "If they qualify, then I'm leaning toward it real heavily," Campbell said. "I'm going to talk about it at the next council meeting. Everybody on the council opposes this present initiative 100%."

Citing the threat of a new slow-growth initiative in Newport Beach, the Irvine Co. on Thursday withdrew its proposal for several major building projects in and around Fashion Island, including a major expansion of the popular outdoor mall.

Amid skepticism from some community leaders in Ventura County's fastest-growing city, the Moorpark City Council has formed a committee to consider extending a 6-year-old slow-growth ordinance. The committee of city officials and residents will consider extending and possibly amending Measure F, a voter-approved initiative that limits new building permits to 270 per year.

Opponents of a Santa Clarita slow-growth initiative have raised nearly $100,000--more than 18 times as much as proponents of the measure--according to campaign finance statements filed this week. Santa Clarita Citizens for Managed Growth raised $99,366 to defeat Measure A, which would allow only 475 housing units in the city of Santa Clarita annually through 2002. About 85%, or $84,450 of the group's donations, came from developers and others in construction-related businesses.