The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, in considering the matter of granting a zoning variance for the Del Rio Villas project, once again demonstrated two principles:
1. Publicly elected officials are incapable of making the reasonable decisions necessary to uphold the statutory property rights of their constituents.
2. There is another Golden Rule: He who has the gold gets to change the rules.
In instance one, all that was necessary was for the supervisors to refer to the current Del Rio community plan, which allows two single-family homes per acre, and just say "No" to the Villas project developer, who wants to build four dwellings per acre. Instead of standing on principle and abiding by the plan, they allowed themselves to be swayed by arguments, dubious at best, about job creation and pent-up demand for $750,000 condos by empty-nesters in the Del Rio neighborhood.
In instance two, one can only imagine what blandishments the well-heeled and well-connected developers must have offered to get the votes needed from three supervisors — the same three who privately assured residents of the Del Rio community that they saw no reason to make an exception to the community plan. The developers needed a change in the rules, and they got it.
I suppose this demonstrates a third principle: Vote with care. You might get what you deserve.
BILL REINHEIMER
Modesto
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