Unfair Jab at PLAN

James A. Clapp’s Jan. 14 article (“City’s Size, Its Problems Not Necessarily Linked”) is Prof. Clapp’s second commentary in local newspapers which takes a vicious but poorly aimed potshot at Prevent Los Angelization Now! (PLAN).

Prof. Clapp inaccurately and unfairly characterizes PLAN as a one-dimensional “growth control” organization. From this false premise, he rambles on that controlling growth doesn’t “effectively address such urban problems as crime, pollution, traffic congestion, taxes, or high housing prices” and “might make them worse.”

I wish Prof. Clapp would sit down and read the Planned Growth Initiative, which the mayor of San Diego endorses and which the City Council has voted overwhelmingly to craft into an ordinance by March 28.

If he were to do that research, Prof. Clapp would find no reference in that initiative to growth controls.

Instead, he would find four sound planning principles that directly address the traffic, crime, and other problems that he--and we at PLAN--are so worried about. Those principles are:

1) New development must take care of the traffic problems it creates by helping to fund road and public transportation improvements and undertaking other appropriate mitigation measures.

2) Public facilities such as schools, police protection and sewer systems must be provided concurrent with new development.

3) New development must pay its full share of the costs it imposes so that existing residents do not have to subsidize growth through higher rates, taxes and fees.

4) New development must undertake maximum feasible water conservation and reclamation.

PETER NAVARRO

Chairman

Prevent Los Angelization Now!