Dear City of SD, Uphold Public Trust - Deny Power Plant Rezone Initiation

The organization "Save Mission Trails" submitted a letter to the City of San Diego Planning Commission and local and state officials, including the California Energy Commision. 

Public comments on this issue are pouring in at CEC, read them here:  http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/quailbrush/documents/others/comments/

The SMT letter is attached.  Some of the strong points made are these:

• The three criteria used for triggering a vote to initiate a Community Plan amendment are hugely unsubstantiated and the motion should be DENIED. A reading of the criteria, General Plan, and the Navajo Community plan, would show compounding evidence against the initiation. It also reveals the weak evidence presented by Development Services.

• A "Yes" vote for the initiation will support bigger profits for shareholders of SDG&E, at the expense of the community, or the best interests of the state and country.  What we need is visionary, alternative energy generation that meets demand without destroyingopen space or harming populations, especially the most sensitive populations- children and the elderly.

• As to the plant being "integrated in the natura/landscape through sensitive design", the Mission Trails Design District for Subarea 2 clearly states that no building should exceed 50 ft, so the eleven 70-100 ft stacks clearly breach that code.  The polluting and noise generating plant can never be adequately integrated into that highly sensitive land as described on the City's own webpage for East Elliot.

• DS [Development Services] also cites that the initiation "appears to be consistent with the Conservation Element's goals stated under Section 1. Sustainable Energy and they cite one of 13 policies (CE-1. 12)" that supposedly supports the amendment. The Sustainable Energy section is enclosed in its entirety to show that the aims and intent (goals and policies) of this section clearly DO NOT support the initiation of this polluting peaker plant.

• The proximity of gas and transmission lines that would only make it cheaper for the company to build their plant while guaranteeing the highest profits for the shareholders.  All costs involved in this ill-gotten venture will undoubtedly be passed to the ratepayers for the construction, negative health impacts particularly to developing lungs, destruction to beloved open space with highly sensitive habitat and endangered species, while the community lives in fear that another severe wildfire in that area will make it even more difficult for the neighboring communities to escape unharmed.

Thursday June 28th & Friday June 29th are critical dates:

• The public is strongly encouraged to attend the SD Planning Commission hearing on Thursday, June 28, 2012, 9AM at City Hall, in downtown San Diego.  Prepare and bring a written statement.
• The Calif Energy Commission is holding the next PUBLIC WORKSHOP the day after, on June 29, 2012,  2 PM. 

For more information:  http://savemissiontrails.org/meetings/