The first of two workshops on the proposed Update to the Escondido General Plan provided the first clear indication of what aspects of the plan will require voter approval under the provisions of Proposition S. The Growth Management and Neighborhood Protection Act was passed by nearly 60 percent of city voters in 1998. City Planner [...]

The 45-day period for public review and comment on the Environmental Impact Report element of the General Plan Update began January 13 and continues through February 27, 2012. A Planning Commission Workshop was held January 24 and a City Council workshop was held February 1. Additional public meetings are anticipated during the spring and summer, after the comment [...]

Escondido officials have released a second version of a proposed Charter for the city. The revised version changes the section on “Fair and Open Competition” to remove reference to project labor agreements. The section now reads “The City will promote fair and open competition for all City construction projects so that all contractors and workers, [...]

Democratic voter registration efforts have paid off. At the end of 2011 there were nearly 7,000 more Democrats registered in San Diego County than Republicans. That number had increased from a lead of just 332 voters in May, 2011. The registrar of voters reported 519,248 Democrats and 512,270 Republicans registered. In Escondido, there were 24,115 [...]

Proponents of a change to Charter City status have acknowledged another failure in their effort to bring the proposal before voters — they have missed deadlines for public hearings and must move the vote to the November general election. This is a crucial change. It means a broader political range and a higher number of [...]

Escondido Mayor Sam Abed is quoted as saying “the ballpark is dead” after the California Supreme Court ruled against redevelopment agencies. The ruling eliminates the source of funding Escondido officials had planned to use for a Triple-A ballpark proposed by Padres owner Jeff Moorad. City officials will now proceed with plans to develop land acquired [...]

In a move that almost certainly means Escondido cannot use redevelopment funds for a proposed Triple-A ballpark, the California Supreme Court has ruled that the state acted legally when it abolished redevelopment agencies. It also ruled invalid a second law that allowed some agencies to continue if they shared funding. The ruling is described as [...]

Logan Jenkins, columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune who was an editor for the Escondido Times-Advocate, has used his first column after returning from surgery to discuss district elections for the city. His observations are worth reading. Among them: “No matter how much innocence it professes, Escondido’s been spoiling for a showdown with Latino activists [...]