The Need for Growth Limits

Any City Council member who still isn’t sure why more than 75,000 voters signed petitions to get a growth initiative on the November ballot should read Times staff writer Nancy Ray’s recent update on North City West.

Ray found that the 14,000 housing units originally approved for North City West have now become 16,000, and that an area of light industry and offices has been doubled in size. Five neighborhood parks and a 300-acre park have disappeared from current plans. And despite restrictions intended to protect the area’s hilly terrain, hilltops are being leveled and nearby canyons filled.

With a little more than 10% of the building permits issued for North City West, residents already are complaining about the lack of parks, schools and shopping centers. No doubt there is justification for some of the changes.

But after years of battling over placing the mini-city of nearly 40,000 people in an area not designated for development until 1995, it’s understandable that those trying to preserve as much of San Diego’s open space and beauty as possible become outraged when it appears that there is a lack of adherence to agreed-to plans.