Approval of A-24 is not against any specific project; approval of A-24 will simply give greater local control over potential future challenges to the land use designations approved after 8-years of community input and City and California Coastal Commission approval.
I served on the Citizen’s General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) for about 2 years, and then served on the City Council from 2018-2022.
Legal initiatives are not easy to understand. They must be written in very specific legal language to get on a ballot. Many people I talk with are confused about its intent and impact.
I find the “City Attorney’s Impartial Analysis of A-24,” which is on the City’s website to be extremely helpful. Just open the City’s webpage and type “City Attorney’s Impartial Analysis of A-24” into the “Search Bar.”
Here are my comments, as I understand A-24:
1. After 8 years of work by residents of Morro Bay, our elected officials and staff, as well as the California Coastal Commission, and other state agencies, “Plan Morro Bay” has been approved by both the City and the State.
2. This is the “General Plan” for the City. All Cities in California (and most states) are legally required to have a general plan and update it every 10-20 years or so.
3. One of the key parts of a General Plan states what kinds of development will be allowed and where. For example, where will the residential areas be located? What about commercial, industrial and agricultural areas? The decisions about these areas are called “Land Use Designations.”
4. The approved land use designations for the specific 103-acres of Measure A-24 are “Visitor Serving/Commercial” and/or “Commercial/Recreational Fishing.” (Ask our city clerk or one of the citizen’s groups to A-24 [pro or con] for a map of the specific areas to which A-24 applies.)
5. A majority “Yes” vote on A-24 on Nov. 5 will restrict City changes to these approved land use designations of the 103 acres unless approved by voters at a future election.
6. I will be voting Yes on A-24 on Nov. 5 because I consider these specific 103 acres to be highly valuable, irreplaceable Morro Bay coastal real estate, which should only be developed in compliance with the current approved land use designations which will expand and strengthen our tourism-based economy. Approval of A-24 is not against any specific project. Approval of A-24 will simply give greater local control over potential future challenges to the land use designations approved after 8-years of community input and City and Coastal Commission approval.
Any resident with comments or questions can email me at: jeffheller3@gmail.com
Jeff Heller
Jeff is a Morro Bay resident,
and a former city councilman.