April 19, 2006

More Padilla: Going back to ballot

"A conservation group that was stymied twice in court is trying once again to slow development of the hills.

Save Loma Linda has started the process of qualifying another ballot initiative that would impose strict limits on hillside and citywide development.

Save Loma Linda's previous effort to get a slow-growth measure on the ballot was overturned last month by a federal judge who ruled the group violated the law when it failed to translate voter materials into Spanish.

Also last month, a San Bernardino Superior Court judge decided that a separate attempt by the group to qualify referendums on two housing and commercial developments violated the state Elections Code.

Save Loma Linda still believes the federal decision was wrong and will be overturned by a higher court, said spokeswoman Kathy Glendrange.

In the meantime, the group has filed another initiative - with a Spanish translation - to make sure voters have a chance to decide the city's future, Glendrange said.

"Our initiative will ensure that Loma Linda is run for the people, not for a few big special interests,'' she said.

The proposed initiative, submitted to City Clerk Pamela Byrnes-O'Camb on Monday, contains the same principles as the initiative that was thrown out in federal court.

The measure requires minimum lot sizes of 7,200 square feet throughout the city and makes developers responsible for increased traffic produced by their projects.

Glendrange said the group changed a few provisions to increase support for the initiative, including broadening the exemption for nonprofit institutions and charitable organizations that wouldn't be required to adhere to more strict traffic-mitigation standards.

The initiative could be considered by voters in the November general election or at a special election, Glendrange said."

Posted by Randy Riddle at April 19, 2006 10:08 AM