Darian
07-17-2009, 10:33 AM
While it's easy to target SoCal metropolitan areas for all of their ills, we should make ourselves aware of initiatives from that area that are innovative, intelligent and timely. :nod:
On a recent fishing trip to San Diego, I ran across an article in the North County Times about the passing of a local politician (mayor of Poway) who proposed a radical, new idea to address rampant development in SoCal. His proposal was to identify the "human carrying capacity" of any area before and after development is begun and after completed. This capacity is calculated by determining the number of people an area can hold; given availability of water, energy and other necessities. Once the carrying capacity is established, a local government or groups of same should use the info to control development and tell state regulators (who routinely encourage over use/commitment of resources; DWR) to "take a hike". The former mayor proposed this concept over 10 years ago. Apparently, his idea is being revisited as a public policy down there by the San Diego Association of Governments. :D
Over on Blanton's BB, there's a post by Dan Bacher about a letter from the Warden's association stating their concerns with enforcement on MLPA's due to the relatively small number of wardens available for those duties, statewide. If you apply the same thinking, as above, to this problem, the number of wardens should be tied to the geographical area to be covered rather than relation to the population of that area. IMHO, why should California have a lesser number of wardens than any state with less space to cover; even with manufactured budget concerns :question:
Anyway, an interesting approach to current growth problems. Surely Sacramento and surrounding areas would benefit from this type of thinking.... :D :D
On a recent fishing trip to San Diego, I ran across an article in the North County Times about the passing of a local politician (mayor of Poway) who proposed a radical, new idea to address rampant development in SoCal. His proposal was to identify the "human carrying capacity" of any area before and after development is begun and after completed. This capacity is calculated by determining the number of people an area can hold; given availability of water, energy and other necessities. Once the carrying capacity is established, a local government or groups of same should use the info to control development and tell state regulators (who routinely encourage over use/commitment of resources; DWR) to "take a hike". The former mayor proposed this concept over 10 years ago. Apparently, his idea is being revisited as a public policy down there by the San Diego Association of Governments. :D
Over on Blanton's BB, there's a post by Dan Bacher about a letter from the Warden's association stating their concerns with enforcement on MLPA's due to the relatively small number of wardens available for those duties, statewide. If you apply the same thinking, as above, to this problem, the number of wardens should be tied to the geographical area to be covered rather than relation to the population of that area. IMHO, why should California have a lesser number of wardens than any state with less space to cover; even with manufactured budget concerns :question:
Anyway, an interesting approach to current growth problems. Surely Sacramento and surrounding areas would benefit from this type of thinking.... :D :D