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While it’s clear who is funding the Yes on Measure B campaign (hint: It’s the developer!), the question of who is funding the opponent’s isn’t so easy to answer.
inewsource’s Joe Yerardi reports that until this past week, the largest donation came from Save Our Forest and Ranchlands, in the amount of $45,000. But the group only had $165 to its name before this year.
The influx of money came from another nonprofit, California Local Energy — Advancing Renewables, which gave the group $110,000 in September, but who CLEAR’s donors are isn’t so … clear.
“When CLEAR is required to report our donors by the Fair Political Practices Commission, we will do so and it will be a part of the public record at that time,” Bill Powers, CLEAR’s treasurer, told inewsource.
Rounding out the opposition’s funding is a San Diego philanthropist, and a neighboring farmer who has a history of developing a few properties of his own. Together, Save our Forest and Ranchlands, the philanthropist and the farmer/developer contributed $134,000 of the $151,111 Measure B’s opponents have raised.
• For better or worse, Measure B will be a guide for future development in the county. (Union-Tribune)
• Opinion: The Moral of Measure B: With Enough Money, Anyone Can Build Anything Anywhere (Voice of San Diego)
Fact Check: 4,000 Homes in Encinitas?
A lot of claims have been flying around Encinitas related to Measure T, the City Council’s latest attempt to pass a housing element, which lays out where growth will happen in the city.
One of those claims, by the Committee Opposed to Encinitas Measure T, says that Measure T would add 4,000 high-density housing units to the city.
We found that claim, specifically the number of homes it said would be built, to be misleading.
First, the measure’s opponents assume that all the land covered by the plan would be developed up to the maximum density, which is problematic. Developers often don’t build as many homes on a property as they are allowed because of a site’s topography, soil, water and any development requirements.
But where the claim really becomes misleading is when the opponents then take that figure, about 3,000 homes, and apply the state’s density bonus, which exists whether or not Measure T passes. That brings their tally to over 4,000, but those additional homes are out of the city’s hands. (The city has tried to curb the density bonus, but that’s landed them in hot water.)
Encinitas is a development-averse community, where residents enjoy the feel of a small beach town. Opponents have used the 4,000-home figure as one of their main points against Measure T, but that exaggerates the highest possible number of homes that would be built as a result of Measure T by 35 percent.
• Former planning commissioners discussed Measure T at a forum earlier this month. (The Coast News)
• While Measure T forces residents in Encinitas to consider how they want the city to grow, it’s also part of a broader question in the county of whether growth should go in already built-out areas or consume rural places. (KPBS)
Are Supervisor Candidates Art Supporters?
This week’s Culture Report includes interviews with the District 3 county supervisor candidates, Supervisor Dave Roberts and Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar, about how they intend to use their discretionary funds to support the arts.
Every supervisor controls two grants that are the largest sources of funding available to local arts programs, Kinsee Morlan writes. Roberts and Gaspar have some differences in how they have supported the arts, and how they intend to distribute the grants.
The Culture Report includes full Q-and-A’s with Gaspar and Roberts.
Also in the News
• The California Public Utilities Commission has replaced the judge overseeing an internal investigation into the handling of the San Onofre nuclear plant closure, again. (Union-Tribune)
• It’s autumn and the FPPC complaints are falling in Oside. (Union-Tribune)
• Spending has topped $2.5 million in the race for the 49th Congressional District. (ProPublica)
• Residents in the Carlsbad Municipal Water District could be looking at a slight increase in their rates. (The Coast News)
• The Encinitas City Council will discuss possible Brown Act violations in regard to the Pacific View property. (Union-Tribune)
• Carlsbad Councilman Mark Packard is catching flak for calling someone a “twit”for accidentally spamming members of the NextDoor website. (The Coast News)
• Escondido’s city manager resigned. (Union-Tribune)
• President Obama says Darrell Issa’s chief contribution has been to obstruct and lead “trumped up-investigations” at a fundraiser in La Jolla. The Union-Tribune, however, thinks Issa’s doing fine: It just endorsed him. (Union-Tribune)