Denny Jackman: Angry mayors must learn they represent us
It is easy to see, and thus understand, why folks are becoming more interested in urban development. The incredibly rich soils that surround most of our urban areas in Stanislaus County provide vivid distinction between areas of asphalt and food-growing land.
Much of this land has been nurtured by families generationally tied to many of us urbanites within our cities.
Since 1989, Modesto voters have been “advising” city councils on urban expansion. Only three times have councils gone against those votes, making Modesto one of the most densely populated cities in the Central Valley. That density is a good thing, considering Stanislaus County is one of the top 10 food producers in the United States. Agriculture is the gift that keeps on giving.
In 2008, while the irrational exuberance of sub-prime lending and liar loans nearly collapsed our financial markets and left many Valley homeowners “upside down” in value, voters in Stanislaus County took a stand. Nearly 70 percent said yes to farmland protection by directing housing into cities under county ballot Measure E.
Yet, some did not interpret that farmland protection had a role for our cities.
In January 2014, the Modesto City Council voted not to protect farmland, choosing to expand their urban plan onto prime ag land! What?
What is going on with piecemeal county projects outside of our city spheres of influence? Why not stay in areas already approved for urbanization by our Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)?
And what is going on with most of the mayors within Stanislaus County?
In March, Hughson Mayor Matt Beekman joined Stanislaus County Supervisors Terry Withrow and Jim DeMartini to add guidelines to the fees developers must pay when farmland is lost to residential development. Six of those mayors now want Beekman replaced on the commission because he did not “represent” their wishes.
Really? Shouldn’t our mayors be representing us? How often, how loud must the public say “protect our best farmland” before our elected officials get the message?
Perhaps county and city representatives will hear the next public ballot message when, once again, the citizens vote in November on an urban limit line in Modesto that clearly protects our best farmland! Will county supervisors respect that line? We hope so.
Jackman is a charter member of the Farmland Working Group and a former Modesto City Council member.
This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Denny Jackman: Angry mayors must learn they represent us."