Letter to Fillmore Gazette: August 29, 2006

Fillmore Gazette

408 Orchard Street

Fillmore , CA   93015

Editor,  

There has been some confusion about the North Fillmore Referendum. Some people have erroneously stated that if the City Council repeals their adoption of Resolution 06-2957 that amends the General Plan, that the North Fillmore area will revert back to a Master Plan allowing for up to 894 homes. This is not true.

What happens is that the zoning defaults back to the General Plan designation, which is Industrial/Residential Low (RL) zoning. Residential Low zoning is for up to 7 units per acre.

I understand that this is confusing but it's time to set the record straight.

The Land Use Element of the General Plan reads on page LU-34 "North Fillmore Master Plan Area: Previous Designations: Industrial - 99 acres. Proposed Designations: Residential Master Plan: 99 acres; "Would transition to low-density residential development, away from existing industrial designations. Future industrial development would be focused in the southwestern portion of the City."

The North Fillmore Master Plan could have been no more than 894 until the Specific Plan was adopted at 700. If the referendum is accepted or voted upon, the Specific Plan will be nullified, so the zoning defaults back to the General Plan of residential low.  

The important thing to remember is that more than 1600 people do not want 894 or even 700 homes in North Fillmore. The threat of going back to 894 homes is an insult to the citizens of Fillmore who do not want this scale of development for North Fillmore.

Gayle Washburn