Patterson Irrigator

Try Mozilla Firefox. You can download for free. Works great here at the PI.

A recommendation to have more than 154,000 people in Patterson by 2048 was scaled back Thursday at a joint Patterson City Council and Planning Commission meeting regarding the city’s future general plan.

Council members and commissioners decided to drop the 40-year population figure to about 100,000 and keep the 20-year figure close to 58,000.

Now should we start talking about the highway? Have you seen I-5 in the morning?

The highway from here to San Jose would be so nice. I dont think that the new truck lane over the altamont will do much. As soon as there is one accident the whole freeway is shut down. Ive emailed all our local senators and congress people about it and all I got back was a standard cut and paste answer from one of them, Barbra Boxer, and it just said that they are working on improvements to the transportation system..I think alot of people still refer to this highway as Pombos fiasco. Well whatever you think of him, and I never really liked him, its still a better fix then trying to piecemeal 580 back together.

Last time I looked there was 769 hits on this forum I think there are more people that show interest in this freeway.Let's hear from some of you, come on people everybody needs to get involved in this one.

" A recommendation to have more than 154,000 people in Patterson by 2048 was scaled back Thursday at a joint Patterson City Council and Planning Commission meeting regarding the city’s future general plan. Council members and commissioners decided to drop the 40-year population figure to about 100,000 and keep the 20-year figure close to 58,000. "

While I like that they scaled that number back, in reality if you know anything about long-term planning works, the 40 year population target is meaningless. Claude Dephalia's opinion piece in Wednesday's paper explains it perfectly. As it is, 20 year general plans can be amended several times a year making even the 20 year plan suspect. The current general plan that was p[ppast back in 1992 was changed numerous times. Growth is based on whim of the city council at the time. A future pro-growth council can completely change the plan if they wish. In 10 years, there will probably be a complequot; A recommendation to have more than 154,000 people in Patterson by 2048 was scaled back Thursday at a joint Patterson City Council and Planning Commission meeting regarding the city’s future general plan. Council members and commissioners decided to drop the 40-year population figure to about 100,000 and keep the 20-year figure close to 58,000. "

While I like that they scaled that number back, in reality if you know anything about long-term planning works, the 40 year population target is meaningless. Claude Dephalia's opinion piece in Wednesday's paper explains it perfectly. As it is, 20 year general plans can be amended several times a year making even the 20 year plan suspect. The current general plan that was p[ppast back in 1992 was changed numerous times. Growth is based on whim of the city council at the time. A future pro-growth council can completely change the plan if they wish. In 10 years, there will probably be a completely new council, maybe a new planning staff. They can do whatever they want. The only way to ensure population targets are with hard growth caps, something I don't think this council will do. What concerns me more is that this council appears to have approved of development in the foothills west of town. I don't think that should happen and it sets a bad precedent. I am not opposed to some commercial development along I5, but not the houses. I hope thus changes.

" Now should we start talking about the highway? Have you seen I-5 in the morning? "

I would love to start talking about how to finally kill this highway proposal. I hope it never happens. In regards to I5, brace yourself, it is going to get much worse.

" The highway from here to San Jose would be so nice. "

No it isn't. It would ruin one of the area's last pristine areas and open the hills to more development.

" Ive emailed all our local senators and congress people about it and all I got back was a standard cut and paste answer from one of them, Barbra Boxer, and it just said that they are working on improvements to the transportation system..I think alot of people still refer to this highway as Pombos fiasco. Well whatever you think of him, and I never really liked him, its still a better fix then trying to piecemeal 580 back together."

I personally talked to Jerry Mcnery and told him I would vote for him if he never supported this freeway. The city of San Jose and Milipitas are opposed to this road and I have supported their opposition. We are working to make sure this road never happens in our lifetime.