• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice
  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About

SOS: Our Last Resort

November 5, 2014 By Bruce Frohman 2 Comments

Denny Jackman
Denny Jackman

Denny Jackman has tried for many years to get the leaders of Stanislaus County to use comprehensive planning to build a community where growth is orderly, affordable and livable, and where agriculture would be protected in perpetuity. I worked with him up until I left the Modesto City Council in 2003.

After disappointment in regional leaders’ ongoing failure to protect farmland, Mr. Jackman, Jake Wenger, and Vance Kennedy created the Stamp Out Sprawl initiative (SOS). Since they were unable to get the government to do its job, the people would do it through the ballot box. SOS has just been validated for the ballot by Modesto’s City Clerk and Council.

Unintended Consequences?

As I’ve previously indicated, passage of SOS may have unintended consequences, especially around Modesto and Salida. Without additional action before or after its passage, the measure will NOT protect Wood Colony from urban development and could open up land presently protected within Modesto’s sphere of influence.

If it passes, SOS would have to be the first of a series of measures needed to accomplish wise land use. SOS encourages local government to do its job or lose control of the process.

Time For Action

Stanislaus County recently offered to open a discussion with the City of Modesto on reaching an agreement to protect Wood Colony. If our elected leaders come together, SOS might not be needed. On the other hand, if policies such as “zoning for dollars” continue to dominate local politics, then the ballot box will be the best place to impose the will of the people.

The ability of local elected leaders to put together sound policies is underestimated. Historically, they’ve lacked the will to do so; SOS could compel a change in mood.

Ventura County Has Urban Limits

Ventura County has urban limit lines throughout the county. The lines were established over twenty years ago because the people and their leaders came together and agreed about what they wanted. Why can’t we?

In Stanislaus County, the lack of cooperation among the political jurisdictions has been so bad that when all of the County’s cities met during the early 2000s to create a “vision,” the end result was overlapping growth boundaries that would have destroyed agriculture. Each jurisdiction was afraid to make any concession in land use planning. Each city worried that another jurisdiction would gain advantages in economic development.

Perhaps the relations of the cities and county of Stanislaus have improved over the years, making mutual agreements possible.

News From the “Dark Side”

On Friday, August 22, 2014, I emailed Mayor Marsh about my concerns with possible unintended consequences of the Stamp Out Sprawl initiative. I said I would like to help write a ballot argument opposed to the initiative and that I would be willing to sign it.

Some have said the email shows I have gone over to the “Dark Side.” They have a right to their opinion. The message reflects my reservations about the initiative.

If Modesto is to avoid unintentional consequences of SOS, there must be a net gain for the entire area. That is, the County and Salida must be willing to make concessions to protect farm land in exchange for Modesto’s willingness to do the same.

Action by elected leaders could mitigate the need for SOS. If our leaders don’t unite to protect farmland, I will wholeheartedly support SOS. Key agreements are essential before the public vote. Absent any agreements, especially to protect Wood Colony from urban encroachment, I will join Denny Jackman, Jake Wenger, and Vance Kennedy in supporting SOS. Incremental taking of farm land around our cities has to stop.                         T

The Public Wants Leadership but May Have to Settle for SOS

The collective wisdom of voters is that agricultural lands need to be preserved for future generations.

All of Europe has urban limit lines. So does Ventura County. What is wrong with Stanislaus County’s leaders that they are unable to recognize our resource limitations? Why is a measure of last resort like SOS necessary?

 

 

Filed Under: Featured, History Tagged With: Denny Jackman urban limits, Stamp Out Sprawl

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. West_Sider says

    November 6, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    Denny Jackman should be commended for all the work he has done to try and protect this County’s farmland. It really is a David vs Goliath fight. His initial goal of trying to get all parties to agree to an effective policy was laudable, but in the end I knew it would never happen as the development community and their supporters in Government would never agree to a policy that would ever be effective.

    The problem here is that most of the local governments here are so narrowly focused on their own little feifdoms and they fail to look at the combined effect of what each of them does independently and what the true long term consequences are of their actions. Plus the thinking is so narrow minded. Quality of life is all about money. Add in the influence of the development community which we see plainly on the westside, partiuclarly in Patterson where it is no longer even remotely hidden.

    Reply
  2. Eric Caine says

    November 8, 2014 at 12:57 pm

    Couldn’t agree more West Sider. Denny has somehow accomplished the nearly impossible. He is one tough and focused champion for farmland. Unfortunately, farmland remains endangered because each local “fiefdom” wants to sprawl onto our best soils. Bruce’s point is simple enough, but as yet people haven’t thought through the implications of putting limits only around Modesto.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America's largest rainforest
Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America’s largest rainforest
The Tongass National Forest in Alaska, a focus of political battles over old-growth logging and road-building in forests for decades, has received new protection from the Biden administration.
theconversation.com
As California?s climate heats up, Valley fever spikes ? especially on Central Coast
As California’s climate heats up, Valley fever spikes, especially on Central Coast
Because the fungus that causes the disease spreads easily in hot, arid conditions, the number of cases will grow, UC Berkeley study says
www.mercurynews.com
Activists sue to block Newsom's homeless mental illness treatment program
Activists sue to block Newsom’s homeless mental illness treatment program
Gov. Gavin Newsom championed compelled mental health treatment for homeless Californians. Now, activists are trying to stop it before it gets off the ground.
sjvsun.com
The Rise of Spirit Warriors on the Christian Right
The Rise of Spirit Warriors on the Christian Right
How an extreme transformation in American religion poses an existential threat to our democracy
newrepublic.com
Gimme Shelter: Mayor Karen Bass on homelessness and the California housing crisis
Gimme Shelter: Mayor Karen Bass on homelessness and the California housing crisis
Liam Dillon and Ben Oreskes of the L.A. Times interview Mayor Karen Bass about homelessness and housing problems in California.
calmatters.org
A Water War Is Brewing Over the Dwindling Colorado River
A Water War Is Brewing Over the Dwindling Colorado River
This story first appeared at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative…
talkingpointsmemo.com
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
After decades of minimal action, Congress passed the largest and most comprehensive piece of climate legislation in U.S. history. Will we make the most of this opportunity?
www.audubon.org
ACLU sues Phoenix over homeless sweeps, citations
ACLU sues Phoenix over homeless sweeps, citations
The ACLU of Arizona has filed a lawsuit against the city of Phoenix over cleanup sweeps of homeless encampments.
www.azcentral.com
'Full-on crisis': Groundwater in California's Central Valley disappearing at alarming rate
‘Full-on crisis’: Groundwater in California’s Central Valley disappearing at alarming rate
Excessive groundwater pumping has long been depleting aquifers in California’s Central Valley. Now, scientists say the depletion is accelerating.
www.latimes.com
San Francisco?s homeless sweeps are unlawful ? and the city will pay for it
San Francisco’s homeless sweeps are unlawful and the city will pay for it
San Francisco’s campaign to remove homeless people from the streets clearly violates…
www.sfchronicle.com
A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.'s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty. Here's why
A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.’s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty. Here’s why
The Cecil Hotel was supposed to be an innovative new model for permanent supportive housing in L.A. Why is it struggling to fill rooms?
news.yahoo.com
Fentanyl on campus: One Bay Area school saved a student?s life. Another missed the signs of an overdose. Is your school ready?
Fentanyl on campus: One Bay Area school saved a student’s life. Another missed the signs of an overdose. Is your school ready?
Suddenly, Bay Area schools are playing a critical role in combating the alarming rise of fentanyl that is spilling onto high school campuses. But a Bay Area News Group survey found most may not be….
www.mercurynews.com

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design