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	Dealing with Growth—What other communities have done
	by Jay Elliott
	One of the issues of concern to all of us in Elk Grove is the rapid growth that has occurred in the last few years. A recent newspaper article showed an additional 6,000 homes in 2003 and 2004 in the Elk Grove. Growth is not unique to this area as many other communities have experience accelerated growth. A perusal of newspaper articles from several sources has shown that other communities have limited growth in three distinct ways.
	Ask the people. This is a populist method of determining if the community really wants large new subdivisions. A couple years ago residents of the City of Davis passed Measure J, which requires a two-thirds approval of any changes to the general plan. An example is Measure X which appeared on the November 8 ballot. A developer was proposing a 383 acre project in North Davis. Covell Village was to be a "new urbanist" community consisting of 1864 residences. By definition a new urbanist community promotes neighborhoods that are walkable, interconnected, with a range of housing types at various prices, and centrally located public spaces. While not eliminating growth, the two-thirds vote makes a rezone for a large new subdivision very difficult. Despite the environment friendly features, Measure X was easily defeated.
	Just Say No! The city of Goleta in Santa Barbara County came into being in 2002 because, like Elk Grove, residents wanted local control. In Goleta local control meant reining in growth. One of the first actions of the new city council was to establish a moratorium on new building permits that was to last the better part of the first year of incorporation.
	Toward the end of the first year the city council denied the final map for the Sandpiper project, 109 units on 4.5 acres. In most cases approval of the final map is a formality if it is consistent with the vested tentative map. If the developer has a vested tentative map it usually means they have the right to proceed with the project. As a result of the council's action the developer filed suit in 2003 which was upheld in superior court. The appellate court, however, reversed the lower court ruling that because the city incorporated before the final map was approved the city had the right to refuse the final map. Not satisfied the developer appealed to the California Supreme Court in 2005, where the case is still pending.
	Recall. The City of Murrieta in Riverside County had been experiencing nonstop growth since incorporation in 1991. The Department of Finance indicated the city had grown 92% in the last five years. In Murrieta roads and schools had a difficult time keeping up with growth.
	The last straw came when the council approved a large day-care center proposed by the mayor's daughter and rezoned land from large-lot residential to commercial in an area where streets were already gridlocked at certain times of the day. In the parking lot after the meeting frustrated citizens formed a group called Rescue Murrieta. They targeted the mayor and two other pro-growth council members for recall.
	What followed was the city's most expensive election. Developers added more than a half million dollars to keep the incumbents in office. When the votes were tallied this past May. The mayor was recalled while the two others barely survived.
	If you are fed up with growth there are lots of options to consider. While these options may not necessarily be the best approach, there is always the election in November.
	Jay Elliott is a long time Elk Grove resident with an interest in local government.
	The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent those of the Elk Grove Insider or any other entity.
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