Pass: 335 / 75.28% Yes votes ...... 110 / 24.72% No votes

See Also: Index of all Propositions

Candidates for the three even-numbered seats (Seats 2, 4, and 6) will be placed on the same ballot as this measure and, if this measure passes, the highest vote getters will serve in these three even-numbered seats. The remaining four seats (Seats 1, 3, 5, and 7) and the individuals who hold them will serve on the newly created Planning Group until the November 2008 election when these odd-numbered seats will be up for election.

The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Diego has established a Policy Manual, which under Policy I-1 authorizes the creation of community sponsor groups and community planning groups. These groups serve in communities and subregions of the County’s unincorporated area for the purpose of providing community input to the Director of Planning, the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors in the preparation, amendment and implementation of community and subregional plans.

Sponsor Group members are nominated for membership by the community-at-large, planning staff and/or staff of the Supervisor’s office and are appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Planning Group members, on the other hand, are elected to their positions.

If this measure is approved, the future election of the members for this Planning Group will be conducted by the County Registrar of Voters on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November of each even numbered year. The elections will be administered according to the California Elections Code (sections 23500 to 23559). The terms of office and other terms of membership are set forth in Board Policy I-1.

A “YES” vote means that you are in favor of changing the current Boulevard Sponsor Group with appointed members to a Planning Group with elected members.

A “NO” vote means that you are opposed to changing the current Boulevard Sponsor Group to an elected Planning Group.

If this ballot measure does not pass, the candidates for whom you are currently voting as potential members of the Boulevard Community Planning Group will not be elected.

A previous attempt to call a special election for all seven seats was voted down due to excessive costs and the lack of evidence that a majority of registered voters supported that effort. Instead, the members of the Sponsor Group voted to place this issue on the ballot with a “phased in” approach. Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who is authorized to make that decision, honored the Sponsor Group’s vote to transition to a fully elected planning group.

The County’s General Plan 2020 Update, which regulates land use and zoning, has been in the process since 1997. The majority of the work is done and, thanks to dedicated Sponsor Group members, is on track to allow managed growth while helping preserve Boulevard’s rural atmosphere and prevent over development impacts on our limited groundwater resources and infrastructure.

There were arguments against placing this item on the ballot due to the experiences noted with other planning groups. Some argued that when a special interest group gets elected, and pushes their agenda through, they often resign prematurely. Those empty seats are then filled by appointment. Currently, many backcountry elections don’t even have enough people running to fill the empty seats. However, there is no good argument against democracy. People need to educate themselves on the issues they feel are important for the future of their community, and their families, then vote with care.

DARLENE KOCZKA

COLE DOTSON

DONNA TISDALE
Boulevard Sponsor Group Chair

(No arguments against Proposition V were submitted)