• CountyCounselOnBackcountryRevitalizationMeeting_05Jun07.pdf: Response of County Counsel to COPs on June 5, 2007

Backcountry Revitalization Violates Brown Act

On May 18th, 2007, Supervisor Dianne Jacob hosted a "Backcountry Revitalization" meeting at the Camp Senior Center.

• You can view the video of her comments and interaction with the house packed to overflowing with Stop Blackwater activists:
• Raymond Lutz asked her assistant, Tale Halse (Policy Advisor) why the meeting was not conducted according to the Brown Act. She said, that it was informal, and was not subject to the Brown Act.

Email to Tale Halse, Assistant to Sup. Dianne Jacob, sent May 21, 2007:

Great meeting you at the Backcountry Revitalization meeting! I am following up because we think that these meetings are certainly subject to the provisions of the Brown Act, and we think it is outrageous that the public's comments can be censored based on whether a developer has a project in process. At this time, I am trying to get all the information in front of me, such as the law you referenced, that restricts interactions the supervisors can have with developers during the processing of a development. I can certainly understand that it could be troublesome to allow supervisors access with the developers prior to their vote, but I find it hard to believe that the pubic comment period can be censored because of that. However, I want to be fair and look at this law first, before we process our complaint about the meeting.

Please send me the law or a link to it so we can review it! Thanks!

--Raymond

Response from Dianne Jacob:

Mr. Raymond Lutz
raylutz@citizensoversight.org

Dear Mr. Lutz:

Thank you for your e-mail requesting information about the Brown Act and the laws that limit a County Supervisor’s ability to comment on a proposed project with an application on file with the County. I appreciate you contacting my office for assistance.

In an effort to be as helpful as possible, I have taken the liberty of forwarding your e-mail to Mr. John Sansone, County Counsel for the County of San Diego. I have asked him to review your e-mail and get back to you with any information he may have to assist you.

Again, thank you for writing. If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me or Tale Halse of my staff at (619) 531-5522 or via e-mail at www.diannejacob.com.

Sincerely,

DIANNE JACOB
Supervisor, Second District

DJ:th

CC: Mr. John Sansone, County Counsel, w/attachment

Responded with Video Link

-- Raymond Lutz - 23 May 2007