Defeat of Prop. A Equated With ‘Spiritual Battle’

A letter written by the founder and president of the Campus Crusade for Christ International attempts to paint San Diego’s Proposition A, a November ballot initiative designed to check urban sprawl, as a spiritual battle between God and advocates of controlled growth.

“We continue to encounter strong opposition from Mayor (Roger) Hedgecock, the Sierra Club, San Diego’s homosexual community and others,” says the letter signed by Dr. William R. Bright, founder of the San Bernardino-based group, which is seeking to build a university, industrial park and residential community in La Jolla Valley.

“I am convinced we face not only a battle to defeat Proposition A on Nov. 5, but also, and more importantly, we face a major continuing spiritual battle that must be fought through the power of the Holy Spirit in order for us to carry out the plan for the International Christian Graduate University, which our Lord has inspired, ordained and guided from its inception,” reads the letter, sent as a “Dear Friend” announcement seeking defeat of Proposition A through prayers, contributions and votes.

In addition, the letter claims that proponents of the initiative see the issue as “growth versus no growth.”

Proposition A would require approval of the city’s voters to further develop land in the 20,000-acre urban reserve in the North City area before 1995. The La Jolla Valley Project is in the reserve and, should Proposition A be approved, would go before the voters. The approval of La Jolla Valley last year by the council prompted the movement to adopt Proposition A.

Supporters of the initiative reacted with outrage to the letter, calling it both misleading and inaccurate.

“I think it’s a most unfortunate piece,” said Lynn Benn, member of the pro-Proposition A steering committee, called San Diegans for Managed Growth.

“It’s totally misleading,” she added. “The issues he is raising have very little to do with Proposition A. It has nothing to do with stopping the university or gay rights; it’s nothing more than good planning that’s the issue.

“It has nothing to do with the Christian university.”

Awyn Zoutendyk, vice president of Campus Crusade in La Jolla, said he “apologized” if the letter caused any misunderstanding or if people found it offensive. “We have no intention of making this a moral or spiritual issue,” he said.

Zoutendyk said the letter was not written as a campaign message, but as a communication to frequent financial donors to the Campus Crusade. “This wasn’t intended to go to the general public,” he said. “If it had been, it would have been worded differently. The type of language used here is our own terminology.”

Nevertheless, Zoutendyk defended the letter, saying his group’s “main objective is to build a graduate university in San Diego, and we need funds to make this fight to see that our plans can be completed.”

Jay Powell, conservation director for the Sierra Club and a member of San Diegans for Managed Growth, said the letter puts the measure “in a holy war type of context.”

“It pulls all the emotional triggers,” said Powell, explaining that he received a copy through a Sierra Club member. “What this does is back this initiative into a corner with an emotional appeal, telling Christians they will be deprived of their university. This is a deliberate effort to distort.”

Powell said that, if Proposition A passes, the San Diego City Council will still have the authority to approve development of school facilities such as the university.

“But they want an industrial park to go along with the school and this (Proposition A ) would say no to that,” Powell explained.

Powell said he fears that the letter is only the first of many such mailers targeted to specific interest groups, with the aim of muddling issues in the campaign.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “Already we hear renters are receiving calls telling them that, if the proposition passes, their rents will go up.”

San Diego City Councilman Bill Mitchell, who signed the Proposition A petitions but who says he’s neutral in the campaign, called the letter misleading and inaccurate.

“I voted against La Jolla Valley and signed the petitions for the proposition. I’m very spiritual and religious and I’m a Presbyterian,” Mitchell said. “It doesn’t mean I will go to hell or I’m a sinner if I uphold the growth plan.”

David Lewis, the political consultant who is managing the campaign against Proposition A, was also unavailable for comment.

Last September, the City Council approved plans allowing development of the 5,100-acre La Jolla Valley project that included the Christian Graduate University, an industrial park and eventual development of houses.

A coalition of environmentalists and others, including Hedgecock, then sought an initiative to stop further encroachment into the city’s urban reserve.

The initiative seeks to stop development in an area covering nearly 18,000 acres in north San Diego that is supposed to be exempt from development until 1995. The idea behind the reserve was to halt urban sprawl and promote development closer to the city’s core.

But supporters of Proposition A contend that the City Council, in piecemeal fashion since 1979, has voted to permit planning and development of more than 7,500 acres in the reserve.

The initiative would require a citywide election on any development proposal in the urban reserve. If approved, the measure would take control of northern city development away from the City Council and give it directly to voters.