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There are a few things to be aware of this week --
check the Hot Button Box on the Home page for these first two issues:
1. Since the City Council has inserted it into the
General Plan, the focus is again upon the Wine Train issue. So read
the PUC ruling which is still in effect and, maybe even more interesting,
note the Castle website in which disembarkation from the Wine Train in St.
Helena is actively going on now. Both are in the Hot Button Box on
the Home page.
2. And then check the Update on the Small Winery
issue after this week's meeting by the committee. It was attended
mostly by small winery people and few community members but all seemed
interested in crafting an ordinance that would solve problems instead of
creating them. Special thanks go to Rex Stults from the Vintners and
Beth Novak for strongly supporting green winery initiatives that do so much
to protect nearby homeowners. There is still no cap on the total
number and, inexplicably, this re-writing of winery rules is not mentioned
in either the new or the old General Plan -- wonder if it legally must be?
3. Check the Demographics page for newly added Census
Bureau statistics on how we compare to other towns which have been
mentioned in meetings as "in our league" -- there's a spreadsheet
with them all on it. Telluride, most recently mentioned, only has
half of our population so it is not comparable. I kept it to California
cities. And there's also an income chart from Truila, the real estate site.
Remember, the Council is dealing with the General
Plan at each meeting so come to meetings if you want to avoid surprises
later -- this is definitely not the time to watch NCIS reruns, no matter
how tempting! Cities are only allowed 4 General Plan Amendments
(requiring public hearings, etc.) per year, so it will take forever to fix
it.
The idea here is to bring more and better
information to people than is feasible or being provided by the City.
Right now we have a lot of great people on this email list so if you find
the info enlightening, please spread the word and forward the emails.
As a life long teacher, the following verse has motivated me for years -- "We
will protect only what we cherish, cherish only what we understand, and
understand only what we are taught." Although, I no longer know
the source, it's true in or out of the classroom.
Thank you,
Sandy
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