2020-05-20 City Council Item No. 11.4 Public Comment Westfall Attachment Regular MEETING - Additional Meeting MaterialsPage 1
Jan L. Westfall
29896 Blue Water Way
Menifee, CA 92584
May 20, 2020
City of Menifee,
29844 Haun Road
Menifee, CA 92586
(951) 723-3740
publiccoments@cityofmenifee.us
Comments for City Council Meeting
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 6:00 PM Regular Meeting
Re: Public Hearing Item 11.4
“Rockport Ranch”
General Plan Amendment No. 2016-287, Change of Zone No. 2016-288,
Specific Plan No. 2016-286, Tentative Tract Map No. 2016-285 (TR 37131)
and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (State Clearinghouse No.
#2017081069)
To the City Council:
I am writing to briefly reiterate concerns related to the above project, concerns previously
expressed more fully in comment letters submitted by the undersigned in connection with the
Draft Environmental Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) (letter dated October 21, 2019)
and the Scoping Meeting held on September 14, 2017 (letter dated October 4, 2017). As noted in
the earlier letters, this project provides no mitigation for the loss of agricultural land and raises
serious environmental concerns, particularly as related to the large deposits of methane under the
soil owing to the dairy that operated on the proposed project area for several decades. In
addition, the proposed lake would further reduce the water table at a time when California
continues to confront drought-related challenges. No real attempt has been made to develop an
agriculture related alternative or a lower density alternative to the above project. An EIR should
include a reasonable range of alternatives that could attain most of the basic objectives of the
project while avoiding or lessening the significant effects of the project. Alternatives analysis
should be “the core of the EIR.” In re Bay Delta, (2008) 43 Cal. 4th 1143.
In addition, I believe it is important to draw the Council’s attention to changed
circumstances in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, which is proving both a public health crisis
and an economic crisis. America currently is experiencing the highest level of unemployment
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claims in decades, and is approaching levels not seen since the great depression. This in turn
will result in tremendous economic uncertainty, if not collapse. This economic uncertainty will
no doubt prove challenging for even the most financially stable projects. Economic weakness
has already devastated the stock market, and without question will affect financial institutions
and – most relevant here – the availability of credit for development. Given this economic
uncertainty, I would ask the Council to consider the possibility that any projects approved going
forward should be required to provide further assurances as to the availability of financing prior
to receiving approval. Approval of this project, without current assurances as to the availability
of financing could lead to what essentially becomes a blight in our community – half finished
developments with empty homes occupied by squatters if financing runs out or the homes fail to
sell. Those of us who lived in this community during the recession of 2008 and following should
be very cognizant of the risks of blight resulting from underfunded developments.
The coronavirus has also highlighted problems in food supply chains, and images on the
news of farmers having to plow under their fields because they are too far from their markets
should alert the council to the need to preserve local land for local agricultural development.
The current crisis should make us aware of our vulnerability and indeed food insecurity, based
on dependence on food produced in other areas. If indeed this particular project is to go forward,
it should not be approved without the dedication of other comparable land for agricultural
purposes.
In light of the foregoing concerns, I ask that the city council vote against approving the
above project. If the council is inclined to move forward on the project, I ask that the council
defer taking any vote on this project until such time as the project sponsor has addressed the
current economic uncertainties and provided mitigation for the loss of agricultural land.
Sincerely,
/s/Jan L. Westfall
Cc: Sarah Manwaring, City Clerk (smanwaring@cityofmenifee.us)