Having served on the Planning Commission of Grand Terrace for almost 18 years, I've been asked my views of what's coming and why I'm leaving. I'll do my best to present both positive and negative aspects of what I see for the future of this small city.
At the last PC meeting, our City Manager told us there is $1.6 billion of development coming to Grand Terrace. We will have a Taco Bell next to the school on Barton Road. The first phase of Barton Road interchange improvements is soon to be completed. Get ready for a traffic circle! And last I heard, there will be 650 new residential units plus many new retail shops below Michigan. The Grocery Outlet opening looks to be in February some time. There's more, and I'm certain our City Manager and our City Council would love for the residents they serve to know and be prepared for what's coming. They do occasionally post an article in the newspaper and on the city's website.
What Grand Terrace is seeing is indicative of what's happening in the Inland Empire and many other areas of California. Development has come. Hundreds of thousands of new homes and millions of square feet of warehousing has been built. A drive on the freeway will tell you things have changed.
From a planning perspective, property owners have a right to develop property they own as long as they do it within the regulations of local government. Those cities who have planned for it will have it better than those scrambling to catch up. In my time on the commission we have done our best to update and revise the general plan to prepare for what is soon upon us. Keep in mind once things are built, it costs too much to change it.
The good news is the city will have new retail shops and restaurants. Residents will not have to drive outside the city as often to enjoy a good meal or cup of coffee. City officials will see increased revenue and will be able to provide more services to the city. Credit goes to our city officials for a plan to repave roads. No one likes potholes. Other infrastructure improvements will be funded. And the talk of adding more police protection can become a reality. In my opinion, our city officials would do well to drastically increase reserves before anything else. If we hit another economic downturn, the last thing residents want is another attempt at a utility tax. Planning is important when times are good!
The bad news is traffic. Traffic changes the quality of life. Everybody is in a hurry. I just took a large trailer load (10,000 pounds) to my new home in New Mexico. Stopping that much weight requires far more distance than a car would need. Yet that extra 100 feet in front of me was prime real estate for those aggressive drivers. I felt like I was in a video game. (Give our truckers a break and think of what might happen to you if they couldn't stop in time because you had to be in front of them).
Traffic will change our city. For those on the lower side, be ready for a traffic nightmare. If you thought it was difficult to go to work after they put in the high school, be ready when another 650 homes and shopping go in. There is a plan to connect Commerce Way to a heavily congested Main street in an attempt to mitigate Michigan traffic. Hopes are Commerce will provide some measure of relief. But human nature as it is..... We were also told the high school traffic would be primarily on Main.
For the record, I was the only official who publicly opposed a traffic circle. Bad idea, a really bad idea in my opinion, as I believe there is too much semi-truck traffic for such a high volume interchange. Watch for accident reports to increase. And forgive city officials for bad decisions. I made my share!
It was a few years back, I was sitting in my back yard, decompressing after a long hard day. I was looking at the greenery (I'm an avid gardener) and I heard a low flying jet overhead. As I looked up, I noticed I was hearing the freeway traffic as well. Soon the high school band started playing. And a neighbor a few doors over was arguing with someone on the phone. My new next door neighbor is a nice fellow who has a medical marijuana card and was outside lighting up, something he does several times a day. As a former addict, I had to get up and and go inside and shut myself in because that life isn't for me. My beautiful wife of 35 years then walked in the front door looking weary from battling traffic on her way home. As she closed the door, a car went by with bass speakers so loud it shook my windows and hurt my ears. It was then that I made up my mind.
We came to Grand Terrace in November 1989. Our city was quieter and felt like an oasis of small town life. That has changed because of development both near and far and will continue to do so. I wasn't ready for how much increased density would negatively impact me and my family. I need open areas, clear blue skies and fresh air. No more 10' between neighbors. There's more to say, but you get the picture. So we made the choice to move to a sparsely populated area near the mountains in northern New Mexico. Deer and antelope frequent our new ranch. Elk hunting and trout fishing are minutes away. Distance is measured in miles and the nearest neighbor is over 100 acres away. My labradors will love the country. And I'll be living in a Second Amendment sanctuary county. I like freedom!
We have fond memories of our time in Grand Terrace. I pray God bless this city and help the leaders make wise decisions. And may the people who live here have a good life full of joy, happiness and contentment. One more thing, get involved. You can make a difference! All the best....Tom Comstock, former chairman of the Planning Commission.