Commentary: GPAC or the Holy Grail in Banning?

By Gail Paparian
For the Record Gazette

I watched (part of) the Banning Planning Commission recently. Once again, I heard reference to the “GPAC.” The way some people refer to it; it's a religious experience. That's not the case; I too served on this august body of volunteer citizens.

That's the point; citizen volunteers, basically ill equipped and not planners were charting the destiny of the City of Banning---- and not unselfishly, I fear. I have been widely quoted as saying, “This is the most specific General Plan I've ever seen.” Heaven help us; it's true.

Now the wild and wooly participants of the “GPAC” were not left solely along to make the city's land use and zoning decisions (or were they???) There was Terra Nova Planning who wooed us all with their low bid contract. I believe it was around $375,000 to do their part of the job. Countless questions have gone unanswered as to what the true and actual cost was. Knowledgeable people guess their take has turned into a $900,000 price tag to the citizens of Banning. If this guesstimate is incorrect; I urge an informed city official to correct it!

Once again, it seems, the inmates are running the asylum! Why are volunteers, some with singular and selfish motives, and others suffering from the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) Syndrome setting policy for the city of Banning for the next 20 years?

Why did we spend all of that money for consultants if people--- well meaning and otherwise get to make technical decisions? It doesn't make any sense.

It does, however, explain why Banning seems to be at a complete standstill. Developers are discouraged, everyday citizens are insulted at council meetings, and many staff members have no buy as to what the citizens of Banning deserve.

Judging from the lack of activities for youth, the decrepit state of municipal facilities and the fact that things take forever to inch their way through the cityŠ. I'm greatly saddened as I think the people of Banning deserve more.

While I agree and respect tradition, we need to get out heads out of the sand and encourage sensible development.

How else do we expect to get from the north to the south side of the city without train interruption? How else do we expect to have services, stores, restaurants and all the trappings we travel miles to get without some forward thinking heads? Answer: We don't. We get the dregs of what neighboring cities don't want or already have.

Again, we deserve more. I wish people would get real about an entity called “GPAC.” It was a volunteer group; it served its missionŠ and now its over.

The opinions of the group (separate and together) were just that...opinions and non-binding at that.

A handful of residents; well intended or selfish and without sufficient expertise should not control the destiny of this city. As the old saying goes, if you want to eat sausageŠ don't watch it being made!

There are people who spend a great deal of time (if they do their due diligence) when serving on city boards and commissions. I don't know of a group that has to do more research than the Planning Commission.

Still, as an advisory board, the commission's voice and vote is only advisory; as the ultimate decision is with the city council.

The GPAC came, opined and it is now over.

It isn't the Holy Grail and it can be changed without fear of retaliation! please, let's get on with business so that the entire community will benefit.