DANA POINT : Residents Seek to Nullify General Plan

Claiming that the city’s new General Plan was written by “outsiders” who want to change the character of Dana Point, a group of unhappy residents has launched a referendum drive to have the plan overturned.

“The city staff wants to turn Dana Point into a high-profile resort,” said Bonnie Streeter, a member of the Dana Point Action Coalition, the group currently circulating a citywide petition to rescind the General Plan. “We didn’t move here to live in a tourist-oriented community. What’s going to happen to the small-town character of our city?”

The City Council unanimously approved the state-mandated General Plan on July 9. To overturn the council vote, the coalition group must gather about 1,700 signatures, from 10% of the city’s registered voters, within 30 days of that date, according to City Clerk Mary Carlson.

If the petition drive succeeds, the General Plan will be withdrawn pending the outcome of a special election, Carlson said.

Some of the other concerns cited by the coalition include a lack of designated open space, particularly in the Headlands area; no provisions for an expected influx of low-income workers who will be employed by new resort development, and high residential and commercial densities throughout the city.

“The General Plan was done hastily and really speaks to only the 7% of the city that is undeveloped,” said Ernie Nelson, an engineer and coalition supporter. “But it doesn’t address those effects on the other 93% of the city that is already here.”

It also does not remove the potential for redevelopment at some later date, Nelson said. It was the city’s redevelopment proposal, which was halted earlier this year, that touched off the current revolt, Nelson said. Many of the people who want to overturn the General Plan were upset by the redevelopment proposal.

“Redevelopment was what got everyone up in arms,” Nelson said.

“We go to the public hearings and speak our minds, but nobody listens to us,” Streeter said. “So that’s why we’re going to stop this General Plan.”

City officials scoff at complaints that the public was not heard and point to the 45 public hearings held over the past 13 months.

“These people are taking a very positive action by the city and following it with a very destructive course,” Mayor Mike Eggers said. “I think the General Plan represents what the majority of the residents of Dana Point want, not what a small minority wants. The plan basically enhances and protects what we have today and lays down for what we can do and will do in the future.

“When you have an existing five-star resort, a fantastic harbor, an incredible climate and an unbelievable location, it’s hard not to be a destination resort. The question is: At what caliber do you want that resort? Do you want a Coney Island or a Carmel?”