Cambria has a very vocal anti-growth clique. They are a small group of folks with friends in high places. Cambria also has people who enjoy living in a small town, but recognize that plans to stop anyone from building forever is unrealistic. These folks seem to feel less compelled to be involved or are too busy working to earn what it takes to pay the bills here to get involved.
Water and growth have been welded together for years in Cambria. It’s been so long since we knew any other way. The issues are complex and the details begin to fade after so many years, if they ever even knew them. Almost 60% of us have lived in our current home for under 10 years. (neighborcity.com) Only 45% of us have lived in town more than 5 years. (clrsearch.com) Armed with these facts, it may be easier to understand why there is some confusion and misinformation. Time to begin to dispel the myths and offer facts so we can make informed choices. With nearly 68% of us earning a higher degree, I am confident that information and discussion can only be an asset. So to that end, AboutCambria.com will be going back to basics. A refresher for some, an introduction to others and eye-opening for all, the next few weeks will be all About Cambria.
Cambria Water Supply
An evaluation of our water resource capacity (water supply) provided the data the Board used to determine we do not have enough water to provide a reliable supply to even the current residents and businesses (Water Master Plan Task 3). This was not the first study of our water and is unlikely to be the last. But it did trigger the Board to declare a water emergency and a moratorium on new connections. In order to ensure a very high standard of reliability, the CCSD Board decided a desalination plant must be built. When I first started following the activity of the CCSD and the County of San Luis Obispo, I assumed that anti-growth and anti-desal were essentially one position. As the stereotypes have faded and I’ve gotten a better understanding of the situation, it’s clear that growth and desalination are two sides of the same coin – distinct and not always a matched set.
Like most of you, I value our village atmosphere. The continuing stress on our shared resources doesn’t contribute to a vibrant and healthy community. But I’m not convinced that locking the gates and stopping all new construction here is realistic. This does not make me the enemy of our town. I am in favor of having a living, thriving, open town committed to a set of sustainable, rational policies that will create a model community, one that other want to emulate, instead of an example of what to avoid.
It seems like no growth advocates have rather effectively controlled the Cambrian narrative and future planning for at least a decade. Their story of Cambria includes an ominous horde of developers cast in the role of villains intent on destroying our village atmosphere and way of life. In that world, without the limits on the water supply, Cambria would go from a town of 4,000 to a city of 11,000 overnight. Even if a growth rate this large was possible from a construction angle, the County’s ordinances, regulations, planning policies and permitting procedures are designed to keep the rate of growth reasonable. Under the current 20 year plan for the North Coast, it will be 2056 before we reach the 6,130 dwellings the County estimates as absolute buildout. The story no growth-ers tell paints them as the heroes and any Cambrian who doesn’t abhor growth as not caring about our town or its future. That’s a little like saying that if I’m not anti-abortion, I’m pro-abortion. Of course, as with all stereotypes, the reality is much more nuanced and there isn’t really a hero and a villain, and the opposite of no growth is not pro sprawl.
One other thing to keep in mind: just because there are no new homes being built doesn’t mean there aren’t new people moving here. They too must be educated and provided the information to be a member of the community. Playing catch-up while you try to acclimate and make new friends isn’t easy. But whether you just finished unpacking boxes or are recognized by everyone in town making errand in town take at least 3 times longer than anywhere else, refreshing your memory about Cambria and Development no longer means reading study after study or attending lengthy meetings. All you have to do is check out AboutCambria.com And if you spot an inaccuracy or error, please contact me. We’ve all got enough rumors and misinformation clouding our ability to decide.
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Last 5 posts by Amanda Rice
- Bygones Aren't Bygones For Cambria Healthcare District Board, It Seems
- Agenda for Thursday February 25 CCSD Meeting
- Open Invitation to Cambria Potluck Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 4pm
- CCSD Water Master Plan and Related Documents
- Cambria Community Healthcare District Board to Discuss Co-Location and Outsourcing
The “CAVE Society” Cumbrians Against Virtually Everything have controlled the town, and the County for many years and I do not see this changing anytime soon. Change is SLO coming here. Look at our last election, Bruce Gibson won based on his CAVE Society membership and under his political control over the last decade he has , well been against virtually everything except his desire for Government control over private property that has owners of property and small businesses leaving town. Because of his efforts against everything, like wireless technology our cell phones don’t work. Opened minded people who embrace technology in their lives won’t move here because their cell phones don’t work has lowered the value of our homes. Open minded people who embrace technology won’t vacation here because their need to be in touch with small children or aging parents has hurt small businesses. Keeping open minded people who embrace technology out of Cambria is Bruce Gibbons’ political strategy and keeps him in power.
I do agree the anti everything people are very passionate in their beliefs and show up at all the meetings while open minded people who embrace technology and or change just go somewhere else or are busy making a living and this keeps change from happening here in my beloved Cambria. Remove Bruce Gibson then and only then will there be positive change with wireless technology and private property rights and creating balance from the CAVE Society now in control.
Response to the Opposite of No Growth….
The future of the population of Cambria was decided in April, 2008 by the District Court of Appeals.
AB 2824 was approved by the state legislature in October of 2008, which prohibits a local agency formation commission (LAFCO) from approving a special district’s application to establish new or different functions or classes of services unless LAFCO determines that the district will have sufficient revenues. If the district lacks those revenues, AB 2824 allows LAFCO to approve the district’s application if it imposes a condition requires the approval of sufficient revenue sources. If the revenue sources are not approved, the district cannot provide the new services.
This would also apply to the vacant lots within the service area of the CCSD that the district would chose to withdraw a “latent service”, such as water service or sewer service as an example. This is called “divestiture” and was the major reason for the legislature to pass this bill. The bill expanded the definition of a “change of organization” to include a special districts proposal to provide new services or “divest” itself of existing services. The bill clarified that only a special district’s legislative body (Board of Director’s) can apply to LAFCO to provide a new service or divest itself of a service. The bill expanded the required contents of a district’s plan for services they intend to provide or stop providing.
The district must provide a plan for services to LAFCO for those properties within its limited boundaries it does not intend to provide latent powers (services), or how those properties will pay for and receive those eliminated service functions. LAFCO will have to approve the divestiture of those lots not to be served pursuant to a determination under Government Code Section 57075.
If LAFCO approves a boundary change, state law requires a formal public hearing to measure protests, usually from the the affected territory’s registered voters. If the protests are 25% or less, the boundary change goes forward without an election. Protests more the 25%, but less than 50% trigger an election among the “affected” voters. The boundary change stops if there’s a majority protest. By treating a latent power application as a “change of organization”, AB 2428 imposed the same protest rules. If there is a significant protest lodged, the bill requires an election on a district’s latent power application to LAFCO. AB 2428 allows for majority protest by affected landowners who have non-voting rights because they are not registered voters , to stop a district from exercising a latent power or divesting itself of an existing power.
It is so extremely rare that a district by a legislative act of its Board of Directors, eliminates latent power services to over 60% of its existing services area after the special district was formed by LAFCO under a “change of organization” with recorded terms and conditions under Government Code Section 56886. Such is the case when the CCSD closed its wait list(s) for water and/or sewer services (latent powers). In fact, Unclog Cambria, LLC has verified with LAFCO that the district “failed” to file the required application to “detach” the non-wait list lot owners from services to be provided within the CCSD limited service boundary. LAFCO has verified that they did not initiate a proposal to eliminate water and sewer functions (latent powers) to those properties not on the CCSD wait list(s).
What is funny is that LAFCO says they would “not” support creating “islands” of existing legal lots within the district limited boundaries without provisions for water and/or sewer services functions to them, as granted to the CCSD under the Reorganization Plan of 1976, approved by LAFCO, affirmed by the Board of Supervisors, and the Cambria electorate in 1976.
So, it begs the 64,000 dollar question? How did the CCSD close its wait list(s) for latent service functions to non-wait list lot owners within the district services area without application and approval of LAFCO? AB 2428 has resolved this conundrum that the district and LAFCO don’t want to talk about.
For clarification purposes, the new state legislation regarding divestiture of service district latent powers to a portion or all of a district boundary is AB 2484 which passed on the Senate floor 75 ayes, 0 nays.
Senate bill AB 2484 was authored by Assemblyman Caballero.