HomeMy WebLinkAbout2 - PUBLIC COMMENTS_CamphireFrom:Soto, Ricardo
To:Bernal, Sarah
Cc:McCann, Melanie
Subject:FW: Delay the Unlawful Santa Ana General Plan
Date:Friday, November 06, 2020 12:22:04 PM
FYI
From: Greg Camphire <gcamphire@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2020 12:13 PM
To: New General Plan <NewGeneralPlan@santa-ana.org>; Pulido, Miguel <MPulido@santa-
ana.org>; Sarmiento, Vicente <VSarmiento@santa-ana.org>; Penaloza, David <DPenaloza@santa-
ana.org>; Solorio, Jose <JSolorio@santa-ana.org>; Bacerra, Phil <pbacerra@santa-ana.org>; Villegas,
Juan <JVillegas@santa-ana.org>; Mendoza, Nelida <nmendoza@santa-ana.org>
Subject: Delay the Unlawful Santa Ana General Plan
Dear Planning Commission, City Staff & City Council,
My name is Greg Camphire and I am a resident of Santa Ana, CA. I am here to demand that
you delay the adoption of the General Plan Update and incorporate the necessary communityrecommendations as required by SB 1000 and the state Attorney General's office.
My own neighborhood is one of many in the city that is being systematically poisoned by
extremely high lead levels, as well as toxic air pollution due to unregulated industries that arereleasing chemical byproducts with no buffer zones between residential areas and schools. In
addition, Santa Ana currently defines only 4% of city land as "open space" (including alimited-use golf course & cemetery), and this lack of green space obviously exacerbates
pollution and related public health issues. It has only been through the efforts of fellowconcerned residents that we are aware of these issues; the current draft of the General Plan
does not address these issues with any specific accountable measures.
Given the unprecedented global pandemic, the fast-tracked adoption of this plan is a terribleidea. The General Plan has been in progress for several years, yet community outreach only
began in May 2020, just as the pandemic began. As a result, there hasn’t been any meaningfulcommunity outreach, engagement, or incorporation of the community’s recommendations.
As I'm sure you're aware, the letter sent by Xavier Becerra's office on October 16, 2020 details
in very stark terms exactly how the Santa Ana General Plan is utterly failing to meet thestandards of SB 1000. Those requirements include combating environmental injustices, such
as those described above, with specific policies and actions that will help those most affected:marginalised & disadvantaged communities (DAC’s), such as the Eastside neighborhood
where my family and I live.
There are no legal regulatory requirements for the city to adopt a General Plan strictly by thisNovember, or even by the year of 2020. Although previous city council members have made it
their goal to pass a General Plan by now, we are now living under completely differentcircumstances. We are all adapting to socializing, mobilizing, and communicating during these
difficult times. I urge you to do the same by postponing the adoption and allowing ample timefor engagement. Postponing the adoption will give the Planning Commission adequate time to
not only notify residents about this plan, but to listen to them, engage with them, and
incorporate their voices in the legislative process as expected by SB1000.
Now is the chance to work together. I urge you to delay the plan in order to fully incorporatethe recommendations of both the Attorney General and Orange County Environmental Justice,
so that we can create strategies to combat this crisis.
Sincerely,
Greg Camphire