Letters: American River Parkway…
A good plan can deal with this
Re "Supervisors OK homes on bluff above parkway," Feb. 14
The project on the bluff in Carmichael was correctly approved under the current regulations governing development adjacent to the American River Parkway; but we suggest the regulations could be changed to a more sanctuary-protecting position congruent with our guiding principle: If it can be seen from the parkway, it shouldn't be built along the parkway.
One of the reasons for litigious building regulations is that the 1985 Parkway Plan – the management guidance document ratified by local and state government – was not properly updated every five years as called for in the 1985 plan to keep up with changing development patterns along the parkway.
Consequently, the updating of building rules and regulations needed to help guide public leadership in the awarding of building permits was also not done every five years in tandem with the parkway plan update, helping create the current, litigious-generating confusion.
An update process was finally begun in 2004 (almost 20 years behind schedule) and is due for completion in 2008.
We hope this case will guide public leadership to ensure the new parkway plan update does include clear guidelines for protection of the public sanctuary as well as providing guidance for those private property owners adjacent to the parkway.
- David H. Lukenbill, Sacramento
Senior Policy Director,
American River Parkway Preservation Society
