Development in Vista

Since he spearheaded the fight against mindless, chaotic development in Vista, my family and neighbors have supported the valiant efforts of former Councilman Lloyd von Haden. Thousands of other Vistans share our view that it is illegal and devious to mortgage our city’s future with so-called “redevelopment” bonds, just so current developers are permitted to avoid paying their fair share of the public improvements necessitated by their projects.

You don’t “re”-develop a cow pasture, acres of open fields are not “blighted”; they are virgin areas which perhaps should be developed according to a sensible municipal improvement plan.

If residential and commercial projects are worthwhile, virtually all costs necessitated by their construction should be borne by the developer, who will then pass those costs on to its buyers and lessees. If that in turn would make the project overpriced and unmarketable, then the investors backing the project should wait before launching something which is capitalistically unfeasible.

Having the city of Vista subsidize developers through bonds is welfare for those who don’t need it, and it fosters unnatural, premature growth leading to traffic congestion, overuse of existing facilities, and ironically, a kind of blight in the form of ghost-town projects which can’t be sold or leased.

Although the announcement that several large businesses moving to Vista is undoubtedly good for the city, your piece (“With News, Vista Can Get Down to Business,” March 27) should not have lumped the news of the end of von Haden’s legal challenges into the same category.

Many residents don’t agree! So please don’t depict Mr. von Haden as a loner who obstinately delayed supposedly noble projects for five years. He selflessly donated his time and skills to counter the city’s self-destructive program. Not everyone is celebrating that the witless policies of our mayor and current city council may now proceed with less hope for legal interdiction.

DERRICK GARBELL, Vista