Murrieta council to discuss 'green' options
By: NELSY RODRIGUEZ - Staff Writer | ∞
MURRIETA ---- Rose-colored glasses are on the shelf of old. The specs that Murrieta city planners are looking through now are green.
Alternate energy sources and development that is tailored to preserving the environment will be the topic of discussion during the Murrieta City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 26442 Beckman Court.
The discussion will give council members an opportunity to hear about ways the city can become more environmentally friendly, such as adopting ordinances that require developers to participate in conserving water, energy, fuels and materials.
Planning Director Mary Lanier said city staff members have been compiling information on several fronts in the "green spectrum," and will present their findings to the council and public during the meeting.
Lanier said she will present different areas in which conservation can be practiced, such as renewable energy, land use, transportation, water conservation and waste.
"In some cases, we're actually moving in that direction," Lanier said, referring to the city's adoption of a water-efficient landscape ordinance in December. "I would say we're really starting to hear more" requests for green building.
Land use conservation could involve the use of alternative energy generators such as wind turbines. The idea of wind turbines was introduced to the city by a Murrieta resident who lives against the Santa Rosa Plateau.
In January, Diana Hofman learned that the city had no guidelines in place for her to install a 30-foot-tall wind generator on her 2 1/2-acre property because the request had never been made before. And that blew her away.
"They should have done this a long time ago, but they're doing it," said Hofman, who added that she plans to attend the meeting. "So long as they're doing it, that's all I care about."
Lanier said not just residents, but developers as well, have expressed the desire to build using recycled materials in accordance with the Leadership and Energy Environmental Design concept. The concept, Lanier said, awards developers based on tiers that measure how much recycled material is used and other efforts that are environment-friendly. She said the city may also consider requiring developers to implement designs that would save water, electricity and gas.
Public transportation is another area the city can tackle. Lanier said possibilities in this category include the building of a transit center and heightened maintenance and creation of bike trails.
"I think we've got to address all of those," Councilman Warnie Enochs said. "Everybody's in this conservationist attitude now. I think we all have to be there. Costs are minute compared to the alternative (price) ---- our world."
Contact staff writer Nelsy Rodriguez at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or nrodriguez@californian.com.
More Stories
Advertisement
Gary in Murrieta wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:34 AM:You want to make Murrieta more environmentally friendly, then rebuild the bridge over Clinton Keith Road. My wife and I were so disappointed that the bridge was built over Los Alamos first. She feels that bridge was built not for the people who live there but for the failed furniture shopping center. At Clinton Keith we have a full to capacity High School right at the same corner, and it is the main access way to Mapleton and Menifee, when the incomplete 215 is saturated. What is really annoying is that after 6 years of living here, we still have to drive north to Scott road, just to drive south. One good note though is the “In and Out” Burger Joint has great access due to the new 6 lane bridge.
You Go Gary wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:55 AM:Amen to Gary!
No Go Gary wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:12 AM:Gary and Mrs. Gary couldn't be more right. The only problem is that it's more stylish to build green than to build efficiency. Construction based on logical principles is SO 20th Century. If you're not eating your Double Double on a piece of lettuce, you're a dinosaur. I miss the old days when "Going Green" meant partying it up on St. Paddy's Day.
Roy wrote on Mar 15, 2008 3:05 PM:This is just another fluff issue that this untalented council loves to use for PR purposes. They avoid the issues that matter to this city. How about giving us an update on efforts to fill empty retail. We were promised "glorious news" about the Triangle. Where is it? Talk talk talk and no action. How about a report on the new city manager's efforts and accomplishments? We were promised a "heavy hitter" and so far we have gotten fluff. Stop talking about adding requirements to businesses and start working toward easing regulation and creating incentives for business to come here. I am with you Gary but don't hold your breath. That once heralded awesome relationship that existed with Caltrans is over. Your bridge has taken longer to get started as a result of this council's ineptness. They are stabbing the already dead economy here with their stupidity.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES wrote on Mar 15, 2008 3:36 PM:I just passed the intersection of the 215 and Murrieta Hot Springs. What caught my eye were three sign twirlers. Two of the signs were for Furniture Stores, "Going Out Of Business Sales", and the other sign was colored and shaped as the Shell Oil Logo, and it was touting regular gas for only $3.49 a gallon. I thought that was cute, but I was somewhat annoyed as I just filled up elsewhere for $3.61 a gallon regular.
Bam wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:25 PM:Bunch of whiners.....move to Romoland or, for the 400K you spent for your Murrieta spread - pay 400K for a one bedroom condo in Irvine.
Amazed wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:59 PM:Moved from murrieta to Romoland, nicer house nice neighbors and no stupid traffic and murrieta city lameness.
Diana H. wrote on Mar 18, 2008 6:50 PM:Well, surprise surprise, the council meeting did not happen. Postphoned to April 1. Why is it so hard to get provisions in place for permits ? Within a two mile radius there are two windmills for water, bet they didn't require permits.
And what genius stacked 30 plus furniture stores together then cries when there is no business?
First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.
Today's Stories
Advertisement