Letter: Meyers needs democratic process

To the community,

The following issues and concerns were recently presented to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors regarding the Meyers Area Plan process, and they are reframed here for your readers.

I would like to say a few words to the Board of Supervisors members about the lack of process concerning the Meyers Area Plan. The facts are that the Meyers community was not always given published notice for Meyers Community Advisory Council (MCAC) meetings that involved the planning for Meyers community, and the MCAC took no notes and have no minutes from their meetings. This shows distrust for the process that you are now going to be voting on.

The idea that government and their advisory groups did not follow California’s open meeting laws (Brown Act) in the set-up of the MCAC clouds the validity of any proposed Meyers plan that the MCAC and all the agencies have agreed. The fact that the public was not formally involved leads people to believe that the interest of the community is not being listened too. Questions have been asked if outside special interest are more important than the desire of the Meyers community. The people of Meyers want to be informed and to be involved with the planning process.

In the meetings that were held by the El Dorado County and TRPA last spring, the community gathered and voted on heights of 35 feet, removal of the Catalyst Program (renamed Incentive Program), and less of an increase in density than the TRPA’s 2012 Regional Plan update placed on Meyers. Now it appears the agency personnel have gone back on their word. The question is who do you represent, the people that vote you into office or corporations and special interests that stand to make millions off the decision you make?

What has happened to the local democratic process? We have on many occasions asked for an unbiased survey so that the entire community can be informed and involved. We want the agencies to have a process with clarity, and without double speak or inundation by acronyms. Do you all know what RPU, ERUs, CFA, CUP, and so many more mean? This is planner speak and is not intended for the public to try to decipher. We want clear language when it comes to policies that impact our lives.

Most of the people that I talk to enjoy the rural life that Meyers offers and want to see appropriate growth.

Transparency goes without saying. Government should pride itself on its ability to be open and honest with the public. After two years of poor public process, there is a cloud of distrust with government and the agencies that governs us about the future of the Meyers community.

In short I would like to see you:

1. Scrap the Meyers Draft Plan until a Brown Act board has been selected that represents the community, then begin a transparent public process to update our community plan.

2. Wait for our new district supervisor to take office.

3. Have a validated survey on the issues that divide us, taken from the Meyers area community using an unbiased and honest survey.

Joe Cardinale, Meyers