Alerts

Rural Mariposa Coalition

Action Alert

Dear Fellow Mariposans,

     Your help is needed to keep Mariposa a rural county.  The General Plan Update, which sets the      blueprint for our growth for the next 20 years, is in process.  There are major concerns about the plan.   Currently it calls for conversion of 17,951 acres of agricultural land and 20,850 acres of mountain preserve land to smaller parcels, which will invite rapid and unneeded  development.   

     There currently are 5,891 developed parcels in the county and 6,920 remaining to be developed.  This will allow for an addition of 33,000 people to our 2000-census population of 17,130, without converting a single additional property. 

     If we wish to keep our county rural and avoid more dirt roads and dust, more traffic and congestion, more fire hazard in remote areas, and decrease in available services (ambulance, fire protection, law enforcement) as the population is increased and scattered, we must ask the Board of Supervisors to re-evaluate the plan.  At the current level of funding and staffing, adequate county services cannot be provided for this expansion.  Without additional sources of revenue, the entire county may suffer.   

     Another problem is the huge Mariposa Town Community Plan.  Mariposa would be 25 square miles and encompass everything from the Fairgrounds to and including the airport. This is a prescription for sprawl and strip development and would be destructive of the small town atmosphere.  And services cannot be provided for this expansion.  Other communities such as Greeley Hill  and Cathey’s Valley have large plans designed by their residents for protection of their rural environment.  We need open space between our communities to stay rural.  

     Preservation of agricultural land and large mountain preserve tracts is critical to maintaining our rural character and open space.  So too is placing development in existing town areas where services are available. 

     And an overriding issue is, do we want unlimited growth?  Or do we wish an orderly, phased approach to development, which is done gradually and with the primary goal of preserving our rural character.

     Please write all the supervisors and express your views.  Urge them to utilize existing parcels and to leave our large tracts intact, no conversion of agricultural land and mountain preserves, and reduction of the Mariposa Community Plan size.  Be a part of the Rural Mariposa coalition!  

Bart Brown