Growth Restrictions

I understand that the San Diego City Council is considering adoption of an urgency ordinance that includes a long-range growth-management plan.

I strongly oppose any further restrictions on new development and urge the council not to adopt the ordinance.

The traffic standards being proposed as part of the city’s growth-management plan are unrealistic and unattainable. The plan proposes to mandate that new development bear the entire burden and responsibility for building, maintaining and financing the city’s transportation facilities.

Under this plan, no new development would be able to meet the traffic standards being proposed. Using today’s traffic standards, 43% of the roadway facilities are already below the standards that would be mandated by the city’s plan. In essence, new development would be held hostage to the ability of the city to generate potentially billions of dollars in new taxes to resolve existing deficiencies.

Building permits in this region have already dramatically slowed, and more government fees and regulations will only choke the economy of San Diego.

RICHARD A. TUTHILL

San Diego