The Redwood City Council seems to believe that they have a legal mandate to complete a full analysis of the Cargill Saltworks proposal, including an EIR, as they would other development applications. They are dead wrong. The California Environmental Quality Act "does not apply to projects which a public agency rejects or disapproves” (CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15270). In other words, a public agency has the authority to reject a proposal and forego an environmental review when a project is inconsistent with existing land-use policies and ordinances. Redwood City has the legal right and a clear justification to reject the Saltworks proposal at any time, because the project directly violates the city’s existing general plan and the goals set forth by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency to improve sustainability of the Bay. Cargill is asking Redwood City to amend the general plan and rezone their site, and also requested that the city abort its own general plan update process. The council agreed, thus stifling the best approach for revising land-use decisions. An EIR is no substitute for a city-run general plan process that fully engages public input. EIRs are intended to inform agencies about potential environmental impacts from proposed projects, not to justify changing land-use laws. The Redwood City Council has shown that it not only believes Cargill is entitled to develop the site, but that they are comfortable with the concept of building a new city in the Bay. This proposal is not like "any other application.” That is why concerned citizens are insisting that Redwood City reinstate its general plan update for the salt ponds before considering any development proposals.
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.