2006 City Council Election/Questions to candidates/Q12

Question 12. of the 2006 City Council Questions to Candidates

This City Council will be responsible for the creation of the 2010 General Plan, so what are your visions for that General Plan, and how would you change it from the current General Plan?

• Stan Forbes: I would keep most of the existing General Plan intact. I would like to see some principles established such as not building one class one farm ground or land that is in the 100 year flood plain. I would also establish a principle that projects will be reverse planned-that is we will determine our capacities-roads, water treatment etc.—and then design projects that will not exceed that capacity rather than have a developer design a project and then try and squeeze it in. I also would initiate a process of community driven planning rather than developer driven. The community should be in at the beginning of planning so that the project meets community rather developer needs.
• Lamar Heystek: I envision the next General Plan to emphasize a small, compact form, just as the current Plan does. I favor the designation of additional land for affordable high-density market-rate housing such as townhouses and condominiums. The City Council needs to hold the line against McMansions by taking proactive steps to encourage housing that actually meets the needs of Davisites.
• Rob Roy: As I stated earlier I want a stated ordinanced uniqueness to Davis in the General Plan – ad that means controlling the type of businesses that are in Davis. Instead of solely dividing things up by type and square footage I want distinctions to include whether or not a business is unique to Davis or whether or not it is owned by a local business owner i.e. a franchisee). I want to be sure that Davis has unique businesses such as Alphabet Moon, Armadillo Records, Delta of Venus, and the Co-op.
• Michael Levy: I want to be sure that the General Plan reflects the vision of the broader community. When changing the General Plan, I would ensure that the process is broad-based and inclusive.
• Ruth Asmundson: The General Plan for Davis should never be the reflection of one individual – rather it needs to reflect the interests and visions of the Davis citizens. As a member of the School Board I worked on the committees that drafted the current general plan, and I anticipate a similar involvement of all city leaders and citizens in the creation of the 2010 plan. The city needs effective and creative community engagement in the process.