Posted on 04/19/2005 12:46:48 PM PDT by forester
RIVERSIDE ---- Developers on Monday blasted local agencies' handling of a sweeping plan to create 153,000 acres of endangered-species reserves in western Riverside County.
The regional habitat conservation plan was supposed to bring clarity and predictability to the complicated process of setting aside land for protecting wildlife, but instead has delivered only confusion, building representatives said at a workshop hosted by the county Board of Supervisors.
Many developers had supported the plan's creation because it aimed to clarify where they would be allowed to build and what requirements they would face if building in an environmentally sensitive area. The plan was supposed to speed up the process of getting approvals for building.
Ten months after state and federal officials signed off on the $1 billion plan, developers said they are left with more questions than answers. Developers added that processing development plans is taking far more time and costing much more money than anticipated.
Linda Frost, a Laguna Beach consultant paid by the Building Industry Association of Southern California to conduct a telephone survey of 16 people involved in development from March 23 to April 7, said the sentiment of all was captured by one respondent: "The original purpose was to provide certainty. Now, I'm not certain of anything related to the process."
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
It stands in the way of progress, development etc..
I agree. At some point, we will have to change the way we go about deciding what to reserve as undeveloped land because the current methods are too expensive and don't work.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.