LAGUNA BEACH : Oil Facilities Issue Approved for Ballot

City officials will place a measure on the November ballot that would require any proposals for onshore oil facilities to go before city voters.

“The Feb. 7 oil spill highlighted for me and others that we can’t afford any additional offshore development,” said Councilman Robert F. Gentry at the Tuesday meeting. “You can’t have offshore activity without onshore support facilities.”

Council members discussed the option of changing the city’s land-use plans to prohibit onshore facilities such as transportation, processing and storage structures but voted unanimously for the ballot requirement because they said it would have greater impact.

“We need something stronger than an ordinance,” Gentry said. “And we need to make that statement strong.”

Councilwoman Martha Collison agreed, adding that she hoped it would send a message to other cities to do the same thing.

San Clemente is the only Orange County city that requires a vote of the people before approval of any onshore oil facilities. Other California cities requiring a vote are Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Point Arena, Redondo Beach, Trinidad and Fort Bragg. Counties requiring such a vote are Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Mendocino and Humboldt. Eight other cities and counties have ordinances that prohibit onshore facilities.

“Having this on the ballot brings it to the forefront and keeps it there for a long time,” said Councilman Dan Kenney. “We get more bang for the buck and keep it in the news.”

In other action, the City Council voted to send Gentry to Washington to testify before the House Appropriations Committee, which is holding hearings this week regarding an extension of the 1989-1990 offshore-drilling moratorium.