Modesto must finally develop plan for long-term growth

The future growth of the city of Modesto is once again at the forefront of discussion, as both local landowners and city leaders grapple with this complicated and controversial question.

City and Stanislaus County land use strategic policy is of vital importance to preserving agriculture and food processing as a cornerstone to our region and is necessary to attract new businesses and industry to Modesto, which means additional local jobs for our growing population. This is too imperative to allow to happen by mere chance, or to continue to do in a haphazard way.

For over 100 years, the Modesto Chamber of Commerce has served to advocate for the advancement of public and private policies that encourage local job creation, attract capital investment, and facilitate the city of Modesto’s ability to attract and retain businesses.

In March 2017, the Board of Directors of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce unanimously adopted and approved a policy platform to guide advocacy efforts of its Government Relations Council and its Economic Development Committee on local, state, and federal government issues as they relate to creating a vibrant local business environment.

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce is staunch in its protection of private property rights and self-determination, two principles our nation is founded on. The chamber has long been adamant that urban limit lines that impede on the city’s ability to grow inherently contradict these principles, and our position has not changed.

This leads the chamber to join the chorus of voices that call on the city of Modesto to complete its long overdue comprehensive General Plan update. This update, not done since 1995, mandates a procedure that safeguards these two guiding principles for landowners both inside and outside city limits.

This comprehensive General Plan update process allows the will of the community to be heard and regarded. This provides a voice for landowners along the boundaries of the current city limits and within the sphere of influence, Modesto citizens, nonprofits, current businesses and developers, real estate professionals, and business and industry advocacy groups in developing a long-term plan for Modesto.

We believe that the city of Modesto should be patient, deliberate and intentional in crafting a strategic vision that will guide its land use policy for decades to come. Time and much contemplation is required to balance the current will of the region with economic needs of the future.

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce will not support any measure that limits the city’s ability for growth or that is contrary to the long-term needs of the city, its citizens, or landowners. We believe the city should not delegate its obligation to update the General Plan to a ballot measure.

So, the chamber applauds the mayor and City Council for the recent decision to retire the proposed ballot measure for urban limit lines. We strongly urge the City Council’s recommitment to resolve the city’s land use issues by doing what it said it would do years ago — fund and complete the comprehensive General Plan update without delay. Such a move would be a sign of goodwill and demonstrate that the city sees the urgency to create a long-term, smart, and strategic land use vision, and is serious about considering all opinions on what it should look like.

Recent comments by some City Council members that they are ready to move ahead with this update are encouraging, but talk needs to become action.

The chamber stands for economic development and creation of jobs through a well-developed, long-term, and thoughtful General Plan process. The Modesto Chamber of Commerce stands ready to work with the City Council, city staff, and all interested parties on this important work.