Check out this guy's chin, isn't it great? He's got that classic manly natural born killer profile and I knew when I first saw him at the meeting that he was a Blackwater kind of guy. He said he wasn't there to represent Blackwater, only to speak in favor of them because he was a "former" Blackwater employee and he felt that the proposed training facility in Potrero is just what San Diego County and the USA needs! He was in fact the only supporter present other than the Chairman of the Potrero Planning Group, who was quite perturbed with the turnout of close to 200 people because as he stated....." most of YOU PEOPLE aren't even from Potrero!"
As we arrived on the scene last night, we were amazed by the sight of protestors on the street corner. And the cops, dozens of them blocking streets and access to the main parking lot. Everyone including the disabled were forced to park in a remote lot and made to walk several hundred yards to reach the Planning Commision hall.
After the meeting I spoke to a Deputy and expressed my regret that a such large group of people practicing democracy could be perceived as intimidating and warranted such a large police presence. She said they were there to protect people and when I asked who she said "there had been threats made."
The proposed project will include a
driver training course, multiple shooting ranges,
a heliopad, a mockup urban warfare site and barracks to house trainees. Note that the original Blackwater site in North Carolina proposed the same uses and was expanded later to include an airport that was involved in the traffic of jet aircraft associated with the CIA rendition program. The proximity to the border also calls into question the likelyhood that Blackwaters surveillance blimps will be housed there.
This project will destroy the valley it will be located in and will present an extreme fire danger to the residents of the area.
The project can be stopped based on environmental and quality of life concerns. The Planning Commision is not in the business of judging the applicants morality so it is un-wise to focus on Blackwater's record of providing mercenaries and it's association with the radical christian right ,as unsavory as they may be. Lets keep to the issues and beat these guys. They don't belong here for many reasons but there are only a few specific ones that can be successfully addressed in land use hearings.
It is critical that anyone who wishes to stop the Blackwater camp to understand the process in Planning and Land Use.
Our anti war rhetoric is NOT going to be considered as a viable argument in the process. It is not under consideration. In fact, It will cause the Board of Supervisors to approve based on no evidence of
1. incompatibility with the General Plan 2020, and the zoning matrix of A-72
2. non mitigable effects on community character, public facilities or the environment.
As this is an application to change an agricultural preserve overlay of the zoning matrix, it requires a major use permit. This is a discretionary decision under the control of the Board of Supervisors of
San Diego County.
PLEASE DO NOT EXPRESS OPINIONS TO REPORTERS OR ANYONE THAT ARE NOT TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND. WE WILL LOSE TO BLACKWATER.
Issues that are germane.
1. Purpose of the Williamson Act, and the Agricultural preserve overlays. This act was intended to preserve agricultural lands for production of food and fiber for the populations near by. As fuel prices are rising, agricultural zones adjacent to population centers such as
San Diego are important to the people of the County.This use of the preserve is incompatible as it will include the grading of, and the laying of congrete placed on topsoil from a meadow. The reliance on foreign sources for food and fiber is not compatible with the intentions of the General Plan and the Williamson act to preserve agricultural land for agriculture.
2. Sheriff's protection. There is only 1 Sheriff assigned to Potrero
3. Multiple Dwelling units. The Zoning matrix allows for 1 dwelling unit for 40 acres.
4. Mitigation of environmental effects. Conditions for approval are commonly granted with discretionary decisions. In order for a negative environmental impact to be found, the County must accept responsibility for enforcement. The County has a dismal record of enforcement as funding for enforcement is not well regarded. No amount of developer's fees account for all of the costs of processing. Yesterday, "dozen's" of Sheriff's deputies were present. The funding for their manhours came from the County General Fund, the taxpayers. Blackwater pays NO property taxes. The owner(s) pays a reduced property tax because of the Williamson Preserve overlay.
This hearing was only the first of many. There are enough people opposed to this to put the brakes on it. Write to the planning commision and let them know how you feel.
Greg Krzys
County of San Diego
Department of Planning and Land Use
gregory.krzys@sdcounty.ca.gov
Officials answer questions about Blackwater plan
