My Voting Record and Past News Coverage
My voting record supporting property rights, development consistent with Ramona's rural character has been clearly represented in the local media. Voting records are the accountability so lacking in today's Representative Democracy - we elect those who offer and adhere to a platform we support to represent us. This is NOT a - "Good I'm elected" I'll now do as I please situation - elected oficials must adhere to their platforms - otherwise a representative democracy is not achieved.
How I voted: Protecting Ramona's Rural Character:
Continually Advocated large rural acreage lots for Montecito Ranch against County's Clustering/Conservation subdivisions policy mandate.
"I would have preferred the larger lots and the more distributed layout of the original plans,” said Grimes, adding, "it's very clear that the county has had strong input into this.”
Did not support risky privately owned and operated Sewer package treatment plant for the project. If the private fund or organization that operates the package plant goes bankrupt, who safely operates the plant?
Grimes believes plans for a package wastewater treatment plant sets a bad precedent. “We should not have package treatment plants with projects this size”
Read the article!
Consistently voted against approving expansion of the Salvation Army's Mussey Grade project – the Convention Facilities were clearly out-of-scope with the rural character of the community and represented a potential fire risk for the Mussey grade residents. Read the article!
Advocated designation and paving of fire evacuation road across northern grasslands Read the article!
Questioned the location of proposed shopping center on agricultural land advocated use of available existing commercially designated land closer to town. Read the article!
Along with property owners opposed expansion of Highland Valley Ranch commercial use health care facility on agriculturally designated lands in West Ramona. Neighbors felt threatened by brain-injury patients escaping the facility.
"The neighborhood has given,” said RCPG member Dennis Grimes. “They gave at six. They gave at 16. This needs to stop now. The planning group here is only advisory to the county, but we need to do everything we can to have this project stay where it is....We may get overridden here, but we need to take a position and we need to say no.”. Read the article!
Voiced concern for property owners rights regarding impact of historic tail designation
Planning group member Dennis Grimes said the historical significance is great, but he is worried that such designation could restrict property owners if they wanted to put in a road that crosses the trail. “Property owners need to be fully apprised of their property rights,” he said. Read the article!
RCPG member Dennis Grimes agreed that the community needed a strong, viable east to west evacuation route.
“I would hope, ideally, that the road would be paved,” Grimes said. “I can't see large trucks with horse trailers negotiating that road in its current state. I see a lot of mechanical problems and broken axles, and it would be a disaster to have people trapped in that area.”
Grimes felt that voting for a vacation of Montecito Road would be premature without a detailed plan and a guarantee that the community would get the access it would need.
Motion to vacate passed 8-4, with planning group members Chad Anderson, Torry Brean, Dennis Grimes and Angus Tobiason casting dissenting votes. Read the article and here!
Supported a northern Ramona Valley fire evacuation route as County Airport Authority sought vacation (elimination) of westernmost Montecito Road circulation element. Read the article and here!
Past News Coverage
Demonstrating an ability to organize the community and clearly articulate issues before the media and County leaders, I was able to accomplish the following:
February 23 rd 2005: Reporter Lauren Reynolds Channel 10 News interviewing spokesman Dennis Grimes on neighborhood opposition Transportation Impact Fee and opposition to proposed Bypass
February 16 th 2005 Reporter Gregg Todd, FOX News 6 Gregg Todd interviewed spokesman Dennis Grimes
February 24th 2005 meeting with 2 nd District Supervisor Dianne Jacob and members of County Department of Planning and Land Use (DPLU) at Jacob’s El Cajon Offices
I drafted a professional forty-four slide Power Point briefing on TIF and bypass issues. Presented briefing to Supervisor Jacob and County staff in a meeeting with over 50 concerned Ramona residents and supporters at Supervisor Jacob's El Cajon conference room.
I also acknowledge the RCPG reporting and support of our local Ramona Sentinel Newspaper which is a key venue for reporting on and discussing planning issues impacting the Ramona community.
