by
Lisa Larkin, PCDCC Member
Well - another expected, yet disturbing outcome from the Placer County Board of Supervisors (BOS). The BOS had an opportunity to opt for an Independent Commission to bring forward a new map for Placer County but, instead, decided to keep that control to themselves. They sent the work over to the Planning Commission, which, no surprise, were all appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The entire process was a complete sham.
The Board held "Public Workshops", to which the public was invited and comments were allowed, but they never took any of the public comments and made changes to the staff maps. The members of the public who made maps themselves, decided to get together and collaborate on maps, to work in as much of the public feedback as possible, all while facing the legal requirements for compactness, communities of interest, cities intact, population variance, and contiguity. This group met with community members throughout Placer County, as well as local elected leaders, and applied the feedback to the maps to ensure as many concerns were met as possible. Hundreds of hours were invested by community members Julia Sweeney, Amber Beckler, Wayne Nader and me, which resulted in at least three collaborative hybrid maps that met the requirements and are, we believe, superior to any of the staff maps.
On Tuesday afternoon, November 30th, the BOS were presented the maps recommended by the Planning Commission, as well as the Hybrid maps submitted by the public. Although the public response, both via email and live public comments, was overwhelmingly in support of the collaborative Hybrid maps, at the very last minute, Supervisor Holmes made a very quick motion to vote on map A, the very first draft map submitted by staff with no changes based on public comment. This map cuts off a small piece of West Roseville, not only dividing a community of interest, but (again surprise), exactly where a potential challenger to Supervisor Gore lives. It also split Rocklin, although Rocklin was adamant about not being split. In Roseville, a panhandle, reaching from District 4 across I80, was not only left in but expanded. Everything, and more that the public was against in public meetings and online comments.
It was clear the BOS decision was made before they entered the chamber that day and they have not a care in the world about what’s best for Placer County residents. It seems their only priority was protecting their own political agenda.
See below for MAP A, the staff map selected by your BOS, without regard to public comments or communities of interest, for your new Placer County Districts. The darker areas on the map are the areas that are being moved to a new district (for example, the darker green in upper West Roseville has been moved into District 2).
If you’d like to send a message to the BOS to let them know how you feel about the public being ignored, you can send it to bos@placer.ca.gov and cc: mwood@placer.ca.gov
