Watered Down Planning

The Journal opines:  Water Board Should Keep Focus on— Water

In the high desert, water is at the center of any discussion of urban growth. The city and county have a unified approach to water-resource planning, under the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority.

On the contrary, it is a fragmented approach to have three separate governments doing the work of one.  It fragments  planning, oversight and public participation. 

City Councilor Michael Cadigan would like to see the Water Authority take on a much larger role. Cadigan, currently a member of the water board, proposes that the board look at all growth issues.  ...

This would be a radically different agenda for the Water Authority, which was created by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bill Richardson at the county's behest and over the city's vehement objections. In fact, it is the agenda you normally find at meetings of the city and county planning boards, or at the City Council and County Commission. (sic)

Wuh?  Re-read about a dozen times and still makes no sense.

As it relates to issues other than water, development and the rules that govern it are the business of those governing bodies. The water board was not created to make social policy.  The full City Council and County Commission are responsible for urban growth decisions, and are held accountable by voters. A board whose membership is appointed, not elected, to deal with water issues should not second-guess governments explicitly authorized to make planning decisions.

Wait, wait, wait.  Can't have it both ways.  Can't tout unified water resources planning  and then sniff at  urban growth decisions as  "social policy."  Water planning without social policy is simply engineering.   

The fact that water is key does not make the Water Authority king.

I beg to differ. 

Comments

[Inky Ink, Inc.]

Forget it, Coco-it's... well... hmm... I think it's Chinatown, but I can't quite tell.