Why the Emphasis by Political Groups on the Comprehensive Plan?

To All COLA LO Members,

Over the past month several political groups continue to allocate their efforts to ward the council's comprehensive plan decision.    Many community members want to know why its such a major issue across the political spectrum.  

Members reported back that the comprehensive plan was the major focus for the new political group the "coalition" and the subject of a recent citizen article Negative Start.    Several groups including LO Stewards and others testified in support of the councils actions this week for well defined reasons..

So why all the concern?

After spending $1.2 million in taxpayer funds over two years the previous administration did not complete the plan update.    The reason was simple, the new plan extended the reach of potential local government beyond land use and into daily activities of residents.   

Many members and residents asked why the extension beyond the land use issue into other areas?

The reason was quite simple.   When approved, the expanded comprehensive plan would allow local government to promulgate local administrative regulations to regulate these areas under the auspices of "land use"   and could force planning decisions and council decisions toward greater regulation of daily activities.    If they did not, these decisions could be subject to legal challenge in the courts.   

Its a scary expansion of the reach of local government over our lives.    That is what has so many citizens concerned about the expansion of the comprehensive plan.  

It expands the role of government over the residents of Lake Oswego.    The comprehensive plan rather than a rewrite and update of a land use planning document has become the vehicle for a political ideology to allow for the future implementation of regulatory controls.   

So who else is supporting or opposed to the expansion of local government over our property rights and behaviors?    Councilor Gustafson supports it along with former City Councilor Ellie McPeak while it appears Mayor Studebaker and four other councilors (Kehoe,Gudman,Bowerman, and O'Neill)  oppose the expansion and have acted to clearly identify the non land use elements for review.  

Its also clear that former councilors Moncrieff and Tierney are highly involved in the effort to try to organize active support for the plan and impede the efforts of the new council.    Many members reported form the first meeting of the new coalition group that Councilor Tierney is very upset at being handily rejected by the voters last fall.   

Many suspect another influence is behind the efforts in an attempt to wrestle former control over the city back form the current council and the voters as they appeared during testimony this week.  

Its a political power struggle over not the past but future control of the city and its direction.

How?  Through planning our daily lives and exercising control over with future regulations at the local level.  Something these past administrations did very well with sensitive lands ordinances, tree codes, and other tools at their disposal.   They wont be backing off despite the results of multiple elections.  

More to come....

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.