Dear Board of Supervisors,
It has come to our attention, through a press release, that the Office of Long Range Planning has initiated work on the "Greater Santa Ynez Valley Baseline Report." We have little or no idea why this initiative exists, what it will contain, or how it will be used.
It is our understanding that this policy initiative was first discussed at the Board of Supervisors Budget Hearing on June 11, 2007 and that action was taken to proceed at the Budget Hearing of June 13, 2007. No description of this new policy initiative was provided on either agenda; in fact, not even the name of this initiative as a topic for discussion appeared on the agendas. No Staff Report was ever made available to the public prior to Board action.
It appears to us, through the language of the press release, that this initiative may be of some significance to the future of land use in the Santa Ynez Valley. Therefore, we find the total lack of public notice or discussion to be troubling.
We respectfully request the following action on your part to remedy this situation:
1) Cease work on this project until the following action items
are completed
2) Properly notice this item for discussion at a regular Board of Supervisors Meeting
3) Provide the public with a comprehensive staff report at least 72 hours prior to the meeting, as required by law, and preferably at least a week prior
4) Allow adequate time for public comment and responses from staff to the questions and concerns which may be raised
5) After public deliberations on your part, either cancel this project or continue after clearly defining its objectives and parameters.
We would appreciate a response to this request at your earliest convenience.
Respectfully,
Preservation of Los Olivos, Preservation of Santa Ynez, Valley Alliance and WE Watch