Rancho Potrero plan a disaster

Why is the public angry with Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) and the city about the Rancho Potrero conceptual plan? Let's count the reasons.

First, no public input was obtained before the conceptual plan was created in 2005. Why do our elected officials come up with a plan before asking the people what they want?

Second, no public input was obtained after creating the conceptual plan. Given it's a "concept," wouldn't that have been a good time to see if the public likes it? Rather than get public input, the plan was rushed through City Council and approved 3-0 in 2005. About 40 residents came to the meeting to object to the plan, but their feedback was dismissed. Did CRPD and the city say. "Wait a minute, we should get some public input about this project"? No.

Reason No. 3 (creates) more anger. The project was rushed along and with a 5-0 vote; CRPD instructed staff to make this conceptual plan into a specific plan.

Are you beginning to see why there's anger and a lack of trust? Public input was finally requested 18 months later!

But there is a goal to finish this project in 2007. Why wasn't public input obtained sometime in 2006? That would have given CRPD time to consider residents' feedback and incorporate changes to the plan without feeling rushed by the impending deadline.

Or was that not the goal? Reason No. 4 (leads to) more public anger, more loss of trust.

Two years have passed, and now it's clear nobody likes the plan. What a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Is this a good way for government to manage important projects? I say no.

Our elected officials need to manage future projects differently, or maybe we need different elected officials in the future. Alan Brewin Newbury Park