My Point

By Teri Pace
District 4 Supervisor
Published: August 7, 2008

The board of supervisors served the citizens of Orange County well by enacting a big box ordinance. The SUP (special use permit) which is required now because of the big box ordinance necessitates a public hearing, giving Orange County residents an opportunity to voice their opinions on any and all aspects of the project.
A big box store moving into the county is a substantial change in the community and Orange County citizens should have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the issue.
Localities should design and define their own destinies, not have it decided for them by outside interests.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors works for and answers to the citizens of Orange County. We are accountable to the citizens and it is our job to promote and foster the kind of community that they want to live in and fund with their tax dollars. When citizens are not afforded the opportunity to speak out on important issues, the board cannot do their job effectively. We cannot serve the citizens justly if they do not have a place in the process. The SUP provides that opportunity and must not be denied. The big box ordinance is in the best interest of the citizens and must be upheld.