SAN BERNARDINO – The Bee may not have an editorial board to nominate the most compelling civic commentary for a Year-In-Review special section, but this news site does have readers who know editorial substance when it crosses their computer screen.
The following is such a recommendation to the Bee.
At the Oct. 17 Planning Commission meeting, the draft ordinance was unanimously recommended to the board of supervisors for approval. The Solar Energy Ordinance proposed to amend county Development Code for solar energy generation facilities.
Here are just a few highlights from the Community Alliance’s editorial concerning that Planning Commission meeting.
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… “Nearly all of the speakers requested that due to the importance and the major impact of the solar amendments, that the proposed draft be returned by the commissioners to Planning for the public’s requested refinements and additions.”
“None of the speakers spoke against the concept of the proposal; generally stating excitement that the county’s Planning Division had submitted a good initial draft; but the speakers pointed out a number of deficiencies in the draft.”
“One major concern that most speakers addressed is the inclusion of commercial solar facilities being placed in Rural Living (RL) zones. The speakers clearly expressed that industrial-type solar facilities have no place in residential zoned neighborhoods.”
“Another major problem noted by a couple of the speakers is that the draft is littered with ambiguous operational terminology that leaves the draft wide open to challenges of subjective interpretation. The terminology is far from the necessity of being legally concise.”
… “(Planning Director) Terri Rahhal’s desire to push her draft to the Board of Supervisors in such a messy state, with so much valid public input missing, was pure sloppiness. If Rahhal had any pride in her work, she would have withdrawn the draft upon hearing of the public’s valid comments; and she would have made the corrections. Instead, she has forced a substandard draft, without public consensus, before the Board of Supervisors who will have to endure the repeat performance of citizens who will once again have to return to present their valid suggestions to hopefully have the county wake-up.”
… “For the concerned public who spent hours studying the draft and preparing their presentation, and driving to a hearing site, and who had to wait for an overextended time for prior agenda items, the hearing was another example of how San Bernardino County’s government doesn’t work; and how those in appointed positions are so inept and connected with county staff that public benefit is often lost to indifference and the convenience of staff expediency.”
“The solar draft that the commissioners voted to accept and forward for Board approval is loaded with ambiguous terminology and lacks public consensus.”
To read the article in full, visit newberryspringsinfo.com.
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The Board of Supervisors on Dec. 3 approved the amendment to the county’s Development Code, requiring developers to demonstrate that a commercial renewable energy project would be compatible with existing and planned land uses. Approval of the amendment effectively ended the countywide moratorium on approving new solar projects, which was imposed in June.
