Unfortunately the coercive method is often the one that works, sometimes to the public’s benefit, sometimes not.
One hopes this is the former.
Editorial: Back to parklands
Elk Grove and park district declare peace
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, August 22, 2007
No matter who "wins," in the end, when local governments sue each other, the public can lose. In the lawsuit between the city of Elk Grove and the Consumnes Community Services District, money needed to build and expand parks and recreation facilities got siphoned off to pay litigation costs.
The district filed the lawsuit against the city in February 2005, seeking to block the city from building a parallel park system in Elk Grove. That led to a countersuit by the city. Weeds grew as the district quit maintaining some stretches in Elk Grove.
The CSD spent an estimated $268,000 on the case, Elk Grove $149,000.
Last week's settlement ends the litigation, stops the money drain and better serves the public. Under its terms, the CSD will continue to operate existing parks in and outside of Elk Grove as it has in the past, but the city will develop the new Elk Grove civic center and community park. All future parks and recreation facilities will be developed and operated jointly by both the city and the CSD.
This arrangement provides real advantages for Elk Grove residents. In dealing with developers on land acquisition for parks, the services district is limited to the minimum standards set by state law. Under those standards, developers must provide just five acres of parkland for every 1,000 new residents their development accommodates.
