I report you decide-by Barry Levinson
BARRY LEVINSON
Who is Behind This Massive Grab of Money and Power Known as the
Downtown Core and Corridor Specific Plan (DCCSP)? City Manager
Joe Felz?
Fullerton City manager Joe Felz
Let me be as direct as I can be. Any council member who votes for
the DCCSP in its current form is basically thumbing their noses at
democracy and the people of Fullerton.
I say this because this would be a major power grab by City Manager
Joe Felz and a loss of control and transparency for the people of
Fullerton.
Those in favor are going to argue that those not in favor are against
development, against progress, etc.
The main thing I am against is having my rights as a citizen of
Fullerton being taken away. My right to be able to go before council
and voice my opinion on a new high tower development in my city
before my elected representatives vote yes or no.
This will be taken away from me if the DCCSP proposal is approved
in its current form. All projects in this huge area of Fullerton will not
require additional EIR’s (Environmental Impact Reports) and will not
normally require any votes by council. All it will need is our unelected
City Manager, Joe Felz. It would be very convenient for him and
awful for the rest of us with the exception of some developers.
Who elected City Manager Joe Felz? Why is he making policy and
then taking over this huge plan that gives the go ahead for massive
high-rise development along most of the major corridors of our city?
Why would any council member vote to give away the necessary
checks and balances and replace it in the hands of one unelected
man, our city manager? This so-called “specific plan” gives almost
unlimited powers to develop wide portions of our city to Joe Felz. My
understanding is that this plan could result in 8,000 new buildings,
almost all of them multi-story in both commercial and also in and
around predominantly residential neighborhoods.
Checks and balances in government is always a good thing. This
aims to take those checks and balances away from future councils
and from the public at-large.
Any Fullerton politician in favor of this monstrosity in my opinion does
not care that they are usurping the rights of all citizens. Governor
Brown ended redevelopment and City Manager Joe Felz and his
minions are bringing it back exponentially with no oversight by future
councils or the public.
If this is passed, there will be no further review for this massive
amount of new development, which could easily increase the current
population of Fullerton from 140,000 to well over 200,000 and
beyond. But don’t you worry Mr. and Mrs. Fullerton citizen, because
Uncle Joe will take care of everything.
Ladies and gentlemen this is exactly what I am afraid of.
So please come to our next Fullerton Council meeting on Tuesday
August 5 at 6:30PM
Barry Levinson
#1 by Barry Levinson on August 2, 2014 - 10:51 am
The Planning Commission unfortunately voted 5 – 0 to approve the plan. I was saddened to learn that not one person on that committee apparently was concerned with this power grab by Joe Felz and his minions.
All of you voted to take away my freedom and the freedom of all Fullerton citizens to speak out on individual large scale projects one at a time.
One of the committee members voting to approve the DCCSP was Fullerton candidate for city council, Rick Alvarez. A very bad way for Mr. Alvarez to start his campaign for Fullerton city council. Remember in his last campaign the Fullerton Police Association (FPA) paid for signs, etc supporting both Alvarez, a self-proclaimed conservative and Flory, a self-proclaimed liberal. They both are in lock step with the FPA and status quo individuals in my opinion.
Vern Nelson from the Orange Juice blog asked Mr. Alvarez recently while he was at a function attended by almost all Democrats this question. Are you a Democrat or a Republican? Mr. Alvarez according to Vern Nelson, responded that he was an American. Nice ducking of a direct question Mr. Alvarez. Also at a 2012 candidate forum, he was asked if he was for or against the development in West Coyote Hills. Remember that question was on the Fullerton ballot. Mr. Alvarez refused to answer the question stating that information was personal. Support him ladies and gentlemen at your own risk.