Dear Board Members,
I write you this letter in opposition to the currently proposed stream setback ordinance and in support of NVLSA's STEWARD.
My reasons for opposing the currently proposed setback ordinance are as follows:
1) Too little gained at too great a cost: We elect leaders to make the tough calls. I ask each of you to look yourself in the mirror and ask - Is there a way we can achieve a greater benefit to the environment with less cost to our constituency. If so then you owe it to those who elected you - both the environmentalist AND the property owners to craft that solution.
2) Individual Rights: An axiom of our society is that an individual's rights go so far as to impose on the rights of another. It is not clear to me what rights or whose are being protected or created by the SSO. In November you had several hundred citizens including myself share with you how our right to responsibly use and enjoy our property would be taken away with the stroke of your pen.
3) This will be the ton of bricks the breaks the camels back: I don't think the camel is even capable of walking anymore for those of us in the vineyard business. Why is there now a desire to cripple the planning process across the board. Advocates of the SSO say that administration is not a problem. However, the fact of the matter is the county can not even handle the load you now have. I repeat - The county can not handle the load the current regulations place on its staff - How can you now be looking at adding additional regulations that will only further overwhelm staff? Finding ways to help people who want to use and enjoy their property in a responsible fashion would be a win for all those except the most unreasonable among us.
4) No Map of streams: Talk about putting the cart before the horse. We have people arguing about whether we need to turn right or left to get to the museum and we do not even know what city we are in! If you have to go down this route at least map the streams so that YOU the board have the power to decide what restrictions will be placed on people's property and not some biologist who is more concerned about peer review than with the environment or the property owner. I know this mapping would take time and money to do but so does owning property in the Napa Valley.
5) CEQA - You think the hillside ordinance took a turn for the worse. I've already heard rumors that the first "discretionary" action taken by the director will trigger the lawsuit that will place anyone subject to the SSO through full public environmental review. Why would we do this?
The reasons I support STEWARD
1) It promotes education and awareness amongst those who wish to responsibly utilize and enjoy their land next to streams and rivers. Most people will say ignorance of the issues are to blame. If so then educate those who wish to perform work next to streams and rivers and you can at least check that off the list as one of the possible problems.
2) Will provide real benefit to streams and rivers: Napa Valley is full of good hearted and good minded people. These streams and rivers are assets to the people of the valley, especially to those of us who have them running through our properties. Provide people with clear ways of enjoying their land AND being responsible to the environment then get out of their way. I believe the owners of the property informed with the right information have both the incentive and ability for responsible development over a staff member with an ordinance.
3) Provides for peer review. Talk about motivating someone to get their house in order! This is a completely legitimate form of accountability that has been and is being used within the fields of law, medicine, and for those of you submitting vineyard erosion control plans among the biologists to make sure nothing was missed. Talk about pressure to make no mistakes!
In closing I am asking each of you to do what it was you were elected to do: take the high road. There ARE ways to protect the environment that we all cherish AND to protect the ability of the property owners to use and enjoy their land in a responsible fashion. I believe STEWARD is a step in this direction.
Regards,
John
John Truchard
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