Somebody must really be watching over Santa Paula. First, Santa Paulans in their illumined wisdom put off approving various mega-development schemes that would have obliterated Santa Paula's unpretentious originality. Then, an even greater blessing-- the economic downturn-- gave Santa Paulans time to catch their breath when faced with imminent commitments to developers. Can you imagine what it would be like today to have hundreds of empty, multi million-dollar MacMansions haunting the city? Yet, if we do nothing now, what will Santa Paula look like in 10 years?
With a new decade on the way, we should welcome a new era for Santa Paula. The issue of housing developments is once again up for debate and is an opportunity to look into the future. As your City Council member I would do everything possible to get the best and brightest architects and engineers to design and build sustainable, cutting edge homes, enviable throughout the world. New homes designed with architectural inventiveness, built with environmentally sound materials, and landscaped in harmony with the natural beauty that surrounds Santa Paula. These should be homes that are inviting to young, talented professionals looking for a wonderful place to live and raise a family. Why should our educated, talented young people have to go to Los Angeles or San Jose to live and work? An innovative housing development rivaling the most celebrated communities throughout the world would keep them here, and they are our human capital, our wealth. They are the ones who will make things happen now, just as the first young Santa Paulans built this city over a hundred years ago.
It's fine and good to offer commodious homes and golf courses, but those tend to appeal to my age group. I firmly believe we need to look at our younger counterparts, our sons and daughters, the times they live in, the future they want to build and help make it happen. I would like to see a development, be it in Fagan or Adams or wherever, that draws on their youthful energy and talent, reflects their vision, and puts Santa Paula on the map for architecturally innovative communities. Frankly, I also think many in my generation would prefer to live in a community more modest and unconventional than a canyon full of mansions. Of course, I'm not talking about a log cabin, unless, of course, it was really cool.
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