Source: Monterey County Herald (Calif.)
Despite months of resident opposition to Pacific Grove's $4 million golf clubhouse complex, including two failed attempts to bring the project to a citywide vote, contractors are hard at work building the 7,000-square-foot structures.
Now, voters will have a chance to make sure that the City Council never again builds a new building on its parkland -- at least without voter approval -- by passing Measure I on Nov. 2.
The ballot measure bars the city from new construction in "O" zones, open spaces like city parks, coastland and the golf course. It also limits expansion of the existing buildings in those zones, saying that buildings can only be expanded by 40 percent.
Those who support it say they cannot trust the City Council to protect Pacific Grove's open spaces. They say that the ballot measure will keep the city beautiful. The measure, they say, won't handcuff future officials who may want to build in the protected areas because the city can always go back to the voters to modify the law.
Those against Measure I argue that it could have unintended consequences. They say that it could restrict good projects, like the expansion of the Sally Griffin Senior Center, where Meals on Wheels of Monterey County operates, or the proposed renovation of the Pacific Grove Library, which is next to a park. It also, they say, appropriates duties that should be left to the City Council and Planning Commission.
But most of all, they say that the initiative is just sour grapes from people who opposed the new clubhouse, but were unable to stop it.
"It's kind of a temper tantrum," said Robert Huitt, a former city councilman and spokesman for a group opposing Measure I. "It's passing legislation out of pique."
Dan Davis, a former city councilman who is in favor of the measure, said that the Council's approval of the clubhouse shows that it cannot be trusted with the city's most precious lands. The council used a legal technicality to throw out a ballot measure aimed at stopping the clubhouse after that ballot measure collected enough signatures to be put on it. Then, the council began construction of the building before a second ballot measure could be certified.
"The council has been unresponsive to the concerns of the people," he said.
But, Davis said, the issue goes beyond the construction site near the first tee of the golf links. It's about protecting the city's most valuable resource -- its natural beauty -- from development at the hands of a rogue City Council.
"We just don't want to risk it," he said. "We think that's the proper protection."
But Huitt said that the measure puts unreasonable restrictions on future governments.
"We're going to pass a law that keeps (the city) from taking care of our property the way it needs to be," said Huitt. "I trust the people who have been elected by several thousand of my citizens, more than I trust the 10 people who wrote this initiative."
But Davis said opponents' assertions that the measure would tie the city's hands on popular projects are red herrings.
"I feel there's a lot of misinformation being thrown at it by opponents," he said.
Huitt said the measure undermines the city's representative form of government.
"The solution is elections," he said. "That's what elections are for, to elect the people you do trust."
But Davis said the measure is appropriate.
"What is it for? When your government fails you," said Davis. "Initiative is the most democratic form of government."