The Planners’ Perspective

The City Council sets the land-use polices but it is the staff who executes those plans. Here is a review of Escondido’s growth by the city’s three city managers in the last 10 years:

KEN LOUNSBERY

From 1976 through 1980, Ken Lounsbery was city manager of Escondido, helping direct the development of North County Fair and the Escondido Auto Park. It was a heady time in Escondido for commercial activity and residential growth took its own course without much pressure, demand or constraint.

“We were seeing growth that, frankly, everyone seemed to be in favor of,” said Lounsbery, today the legal counsel for Lusardi Construction, a major North County builder.

“We consciously and conscientiously promoted commercial growth . . . because we concluded that it was reasonable to continue being the commercial hub of things. I favored it, promoted it, supported it and advanced it.”

Has Escondido grown too quickly? “The City Council has done exactly what the community expected it to do--to secure it with the best economic base in North County. Now we can afford to address the aesthetic concerns and maybe play catch-up if we’ve overlooked some infrastructure needs.

“But what if we had failed to secure North County Fair? The council would have been roundly criticized and perhaps drummed out of office. Now we can look inward and, having done what we set out to accomplish, look back and hone.”

Lounsbery said traffic problems--the most typical symptom of growth--can’t be blamed on apartment construction. “It’s more directly the result of our intense commercial growth. I’d be willing to bet that the opening of Fedco did more to adversely impact traffic problems than will the entire buildout (of more than 3,000 homes) of Daley Ranch. Escondido is reaping what it has sown. We’ve gone about the business of deliberately attracting commercial visitors--buyers--from outside the city.”

RAY WINDSOR

Succeeding Lounsbery as city manager was his assistant, Ray Windsor, who left in 1982 to become city manager of Banning and, more recently, manager of the incorporated town of Mammoth.

“Some mistakes (in growth) were made, but I’m very reluctant to say ‘I told you so’ because, given the kind of area it’s in and the desire of people to enjoy the life style they wanted, it created the pressures you now have.

“My complaint only is that growth occured at a pace beyond what was reasonable. Our responsibility as city officials is not just to the people we now serve, but the people who are yet to come, including our children’s children.

“In Mammoth, you realize you have almost a sacred duty to be part of the protective element that future generations will judge you by. Some day someone will pass judgment on Escondido and they will say, ‘My God, they didn’t stand back far enough and use the kind of vision that was necessary to see what was going to happen generations down the line.

“The town was in a posture of reacting (to growth demands) rather than being pro-active in anticipating them. We were planning on a day-to-day basis rather than standing back and saying to ourselves, ‘What’s it going to be like 10, 15, 20 years from now? Decisions were very narrowly focused and related to ‘today,’ and the city ended up with the kinds of problems you have when you don’t look at all the pieces of the puzzle.

“It’s so easy now to look back and second guess everybody and play Monday morning quarterback.”

VERN HAZEN

“I used to work for a city in the Silicon Valley which doubled in growth when I was there. That’s exactly what the City Council wanted. Then I was hired by the City of Mill Valley to effectively stop growth and you know what? I slowed it down like you wouldn’t believe by implementing tough zoning restrictions. I’m a hired person and I do what my bosses tell me.”

And so Vern Hazen, city manager of Escondido since 1982, says he is now implementing the policies laid down to him by a majority of the City Council.

“Our job is to provide all the information we can get our hands on, and alternative approaches, in order for the City Council to make intelligent decisions. We’re not to make land-use policies. The staff is not here to be the guardians of any particular interest group, whether it be a no-growth group, developers or environmentalists.

“Land-use decisions are at the heart of policy-making and, as such, staff should not get involved except in providing good data. A planner in a back room doesn’t decide what he thinks is best for the community, but whether it’s based on the general plan and amendments to it. For me to tell the council what is right would be wrong.

“We have told the council that we think the general plan is out of date and needs to be brought more current . . . and we’re now doing just that.”

Hazen said some apartment complexes in Escondido have been disappointing aesthetically, and his staff is preparing new guidelines for future developments.

“A lot more building will occur over the years; if the rest can be done right, or at higher standards--and the council has indicated that it will--then I think the rest of the community has an outstanding opportunity to develop this into a real fine community.

“If the staff gets to the point of telling the council what to do, that’s the height of arrogance. We make suggestions and give options, but the community belongs to the people.”