Vote on Rancho San Juan project will show true colors of Monterey County Supervisors

	The County is currently processing two other subdivision applications within the Rancho San Juan Specific Plan Area: Blohm Ranch and San Miguel Ranch.

On August 16 the Monterey County Board of Supervisors will consider whether to circumvent the right of the people to vote on the proposed Rancho San Juan subdivision. During the Christmas holiday season last year opponents of the project submitted 16,000 signatures of voters on a referendum requiring the Board of Supervisors to either reverse its approval of the development or allow the public to vote. However, the will of the people could be ignored if the Board decides to rescind its approval then approve phase one of the project as a stand-alone development.
A letter from the developer's attorney outlines just such a scenario, explaining that those who disagree with this slight of hand just "misunderstand the process." On August 16, one day before the deadline to pull the referendum from the ballot, Board members will clarify who they represent-the citizens of Monterey County or a Marin County developer.

It is critical that Sierra Club members and other environmentalists attend the public hearing, Tuesday, August 16 at the new Supervisors' Chambers, 168 W. Alisal Street, Salinas. This is the new County Administrative Building adjacent to the courthouse. The exact time of the public hearing was not available at press time. It will be posted on the Monterey County website, www.co.monterey.ca.us, on August 11 or can be obtained from the Clerk to the Board, Darlene Drain, 755-5066.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can contact the Board and let them know you expect them to honor the will of the people and respect democracy.

Rancho San Juan is the biggest project in county history, wedged between Salinas and Prunedale east of Highway 101. When fully developed, it would create a new city one half the size of Marina on what is now mostly 2500 acres of productive agricultural land. The proposed development would pump an additional 700 acre-feet of water from an over-drafted aquifer, more than double the traffic on Highway 101, urbanize 1750 acres of farmland, and contain 4000 houses and a golf course resort.



Contact information

Write: Monterey County Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 1728, Salinas, CA 93902
Phone: 755-5066
Fax: 755-5888
Email: CTTB@co.monterey.ca.us

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