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Santa Paula one vote away from an additional 2,250 homes if A7 passes
495 plus 1 can equal 2,250
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If Measure A7 passes, Santa Paula is just one vote away from 2,250 homes in Adams Canyon. Seem far-fetched? It could happen. Pinnacle wanted 2,250 homes and two hotels in Adams Canyon in 2002. To get that again (and a bigger payout), it needs to accomplish just a few things.
Step 1: Control of a majority of the City Council. (Done!)
Step 2: Move CURB line(?)
Step 3: Win another special election to change the plan from 495 to 2,250 homes.
If you think this can't or won't happen, consider the following:
1. We voted for Fagan Canyon to come into the city on the basis of 495 homes and the next thing we knew the project called for 2,250 homes.
2. At the April 2 City Council meeting, Mayor Ray Luna said he would like to see 2,000 homes in Adams Canyon (and 2,000 in Fagan Canyon!). Based on his tireless efforts as Pinnacle's chief cheerleader, Councilman Bob Gonzales would probably like to see more than 2,000 homes in Adams Canyon, too. And Councilman Ralph Fernandez was elected on the same ticket as Gonzales.
3. Think about the connector road requirement that was written into A7 by its supporters. Why is it there? It doesn't make sense for someone living in Adams Canyon to drive through Fagan Canyon to get out. But it does make sense to require a connector road through Fagan Canyon to Ojai Road if you need to relieve the traffic flow from 2,250 Adams Canyon homes.
A7 brings an enormous landmass into Santa Paula. From then on, anything is possible. With hundreds of millions of dollars riding on this, Pinnacle needs only spend a couple million more to win an election by one vote. One vote could change 495 to 2,250. You can bet they will pull out all the stops — and with a majority of the City Council dancing to their tune, there will be nothing to stop them from forcing a huge project on us that will cost us in higher taxes, ruin our small-town feel and clog our streets with traffic. Vote No on A7.
— Michael Dalo, of Santa Paula, is a member of Santa Paulans for Smart Growth.
Posted by ed.fitzhenry on April 25, 2007 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
With the housing market in a steady decline, most wise builders are cutting the number of homes they are willing to build because, frankly, they can't sell them. Pinnacle's market is mostly Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Mendocino counties, really big money areas not affected by the decline. Million-dollar homes are still selling for a million dollars. From a business standpoint, it doesn't make sense for anyone to commit to building 50 homes, let alone 2250 in an area like Santa Paula which is home to a mostly middle class population which cannot afford a $500,000 home.. They will be losing money. But that's right now. By the time all the approvals are in, the market may change, but that's doubtful.
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