2 Important questions to ask Davis City Council Candidates

by Colin Walsh

2 of the biggest decisions faced by the next City Council.

As the weather seems to flicker between winter storm and spring sunshine, the June election seems a long way away. Just like the buds turning to flowers, one can tell by the new sprung candidate booths at the Davis Farmers Market the June election is growing closer. I suggest we better all pay close attention because this next City Council has some big decisions that will have long lasting impacts on the City of Davis. So here are 2 very important questions to ask every candidate.

Will you put the Measure R on the Ballot for Renewal?

In 2000 the Davis City Council put measure J on the ballot and it was approved by the City. Measure J causes any new developments on ag land or annexations to the City to go to a public vote. Measure J was renewed as Measure R in 2010. The measure was crafted to address the runaway sprawl onto valuable farm land that Davis experienced in the 1990s. Since 2000 no sprawl development has past a public vote, and instead the City has favored infill developments like converting the old cannery into a housing project.

How should the City Council approach the General Plan?

The City is planning on initiating an update to the Davis General Plan during the next City Council campaign. The general plan addresses, land use, growth management, transportation, neighborhood preservation, housing, economic development, water, waste, parks and open space, human services, arts diversity, habitat and wildlife, agriculture, Energy, Historic resources, police, fire, and a few other things. In short, a broad scope of the city is considered. Important questions for developers are, do you have a specific goal for how you want the general plan to move forward? What level of citizen participation do you think there should be. What level of developer participation should there be? How do you get citizen involvement in proportion to developers, when developers and their employees have a financial stake in the outcome and it is part of their job to participate, while regular folks have to participate for free and it is usually one of many competing priorities competing with work and family for attention.