Competitors Explain Growth Proposals

Both sides in a contentious battle over controlling growth in this rural community have released explanations of how their competing ballot measures would affect the city’s development future.

At present, the City Council has no boundary for development, said Deputy City Clerk Steve McClary.

The city’s measure would set boundaries for development for the next 20 years. Building beyond those limits would require voter approval, he said.

It’s essentially the same measure proposed under the competing SOAR initiative, except the city’s measure adds a lot more acreage that can be developed, said attorney Richard Francis, co-author of the county’s SOAR measure.

“A fence is only a fence if it’s close enough to keep something in reasonable range--this [city measure] is hardly a fence,” Francis said.

Some 832 acres off Goodenough Road and 145 acres near the fish hatchery would be set aside for development under the city’s measure.

Only large homes with several acres of land would be approved for development off Goodenough under the city plan, said McClary. The 145 acres near the fish hatchery would include townhomes, a large subdivision and a golf course.

SOAR supporters are hoping voters approve their measure, which keeps development within Fillmore’s 2.3-square-mile city limits, excluding about 100 acres of orange groves in the southwest corner of town. Land-use decisions outside the boundary would require voter approval.

City Manager Roy Payne has said the SOAR measure threatens Fillmore’s economic stability and stymies growth, which has historically averaged 2.38% annually.