Fate of Encinitas 'Right to Vote' Initiative to be Decided by Ballot

The Encinitas City Council voted Tuesday to order a special election for the "Right to Vote" amendment to the Encinitas General Plan and Zoning Code.

"If it is going to be adopted it should be by the people," said councilmember Tony Kranz, who seconded Deputy Mayor Lisa Shaffer's motion to hold a special election. 

The initiative would require a majority vote to major amendment of a planning policy document. Such amendments would include certain changes in zone types, increases in heights and increases of the amount of parcels on an existing parcel.

In order for the initiative to go to the voters, the ballot would need an argument against the measure. The council created a subcommittee—consisting of Mayor Teresa Barth and Councilwoman Kristin Gaspar—to write the initiative's counterargument. The wording will be presented to the City Council on March 27.

Councilmembers will be able to modify the wording at the meeting.

While the councilmembers discussed the initiative at the meeting, the council did vote for or against the initiative.

"I just don't what to say that I'm in complete opposition of this because there are a lot of components that I do agree with," Barth said."How that position argument is written is critical to can support it or not."

She could not support wording that is too general, she added. 

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Editor's note: I added quotes.