On Thursday, November 15, the Acton Town Council met with Supervisor Antonovich and members of the County Counsel’s office.  The ATC requested the meeting to clarify the course of events pertaining to the Panda/UG project that have occurred over the last 1½ years and to particularly set the record straight regarding what the community knew about this project and when it was known.  The meeting was also intended to develop procedures that will ensure that the problems encountered by the community in addressing this project are not repeated in the future.  In addition, the ATC sought to discuss available options for addressing the impacts that the Panda/UG project will have on the community.  I spoke at length with Ray Garwacki regarding the outcome of the meeting on Thursday night, and from our conversation, it appears that the meeting was successful on many levels.  Those attending engaged in a thought provoking discussion of  General Plan  provisions which protect and secure our rural character, and it was affirmed that those protections do apply to the Panda/UG project as well as all other projects in designated rural communities like Acton and Agua Dulce.   The ATC representatives, the Supervisor and his staff discussed various options for immediately addressing the Panda/UG project in particular, and I understand that County Counsel would be spending the better part of Friday researching how these options can be implemented. The latter part of the meeting was spent discussing the layout, density, and impacts of the Panda/UG project and some of the alternatives that County staff has worked out with the developer. 

 

    All of these issues will be presented at the next ATC meeting on Monday, November 17.  From my discussion with Ray, it appears that this meeting is the best opportunity for the community to review the project alternatives that have been developed by County staff.  Of equal importance, this meeting will address the options available to make the changes necessary for securing our rural community now and in the future.  In the continuing struggle to protect our rural lifestyle, we are now at a singularly important junction which affords us both opportunity and responsibility.  The ramifications of the Panda/UG project affect all rural communities in general, and the communities of Acton and Agua Dulce in particular.  With this letter, I ask all residents who are able to attend the ATC meeting to please come and provide comments. 

 

Thank you for your time and your interest.

 

Jacki Ayer