Most people in Pinecrest seem to like things the way they are.
Voters on Tuesday rejected a charter amendment that would have required a 60% referendum vote on any zoning or land use change in the city. A small group of residents were in favor. Elected officials and a larger group of residents fought the effort.
The status quo won decisively with 63% of the voters saying no.
“Tonight, Pinecrest gave a vote of confidence to our 27 years of professional and scandal-free government, to our Village Council, and to the democratic system that created the beautiful Village we love,” read a statement from Pinecrest Friends, a non-profit behind the political action committee that pushed the no vote.
The issue split the community like none other in Pinecrest’s short history, resulting in a 53% turnout for the mail-in only referendum.
Read related: Pinecrest referendum would put zoning, land use changes in the hands of voters
“Over the past few months, our community engaged in vigorous debate and residents expressed their opinions on both sides, resulting in high voter turnout. Thank you to everyone who voted, to the thousands who spoke out in person, online and by placing signs on their front lawns,” the statement reads. “Along the way, Pinecrest Friends has built a truly grassroots group of neighbors — and now friends — who will continue to stay engaged in protecting and preserving Pinecrest and our quality of life.
“We look forward to working together with all residents to keep Pinecrest a wonderful place to live.”
The critics of the referendum had said it was unnecessary because Pinecrest had already set limits of four stories at the highest and because Village voters already have the right to appeal a zoning change or variance with only a 50.01% vote.
Proponents said they didn’t trust the electeds of now or the future to keep density low.
These people, who were at each other’s throats, will now have to live together.
Mayor Joseph Corradino said he was not surprised by the results.
“As we walked the community week after week over the past year, the people we spoke to were preponderantly voting ‘no,’ he told Ladra.
“I believe the margin of victory was so large for several reasons. First, people recognized that running a government through referenda is not good government. We have a referendum every two years in our elections at which voter turnout is very high,” Corradino said.
“Second, the effort was to broad and would have made many small zoning changes the subject of referenda of which a 60% vote would have been needed to pass. Third, I don’t believe the ‘yes’ campaign had the best interests of the Village in mind. They were a fight looking for an issue. It wasn’t about zoning, or leaf blowers or sidewalks. It was about some type of personal vendetta of a very few that had been unsuccessful in past local elections, in combination with a national grievance imported to our community,” the mayor said.
“The language they used was out of scale. Zoning isn’t ‘woke’ or ‘authoritarian.’ After our contentious meeting at Pinecrest Gardens in January 2022, the Village did what was asked and slowed the issue down, formed a committee and in the end did not increase our building stories. It was what the people wanted. But the ‘Concerned Citizens’ only got more antagonistic.
“Finally, they lost because the people of Pinecrest totally rejected the tactics used. They rejected the personal attacks on those that disagreed with the ‘Concerned Citizens’ and outright misinformation about the issue that they put out,” Corradino said.
He added that multiple attempts to meet with the Concerned Citizens leadership to learn how they could compromise were unproductive.
“My answer was that we couldn’t satisfy them. They needed to be beaten. Last night, they were beaten badly.
“Now Pinecrest can get back to being Pinecrest. One of the most successful communities in the state,” Corradino told Political Cortadito. “We have many complex projects that need to get done. We need to complete our water project, electrical undergrounding, converting our septic systems to sewer, and enhance our bicycle and pedestrian network.
“As with everything we’ve ever done we will consider these issues in light of maintaining our community character and enhancing our quality of life. Everyone is welcome to the process.”
Pinecrest voters reject proposed charter amendment for public zoning control added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
