I am posting this message to inform all of a proposal in San Diego to revise
its unique Resource Protection Ordinance to eliminate archaeological
resources and historic buildings.  Following is the information available.
 Letters are needed to help stop this action for continued protection of the
resources.
 
Mike Polk
Sagebrush Archaeological Consultants, L.L.C.
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FINAL AGENDA, SAN DIEGO COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Workshop, March 29, 1996, Department of Planning and Land Use, Hearing Room -
9 a.m.
 
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
 
2.  Recision or Revision of the Resource Protection Ordinance
 
>>> Workshop to review potential options for revisions of the Resource
Protection Ordinance (RPO).  Options for revisions range from complete
elimination of the Ordinance, transferring portions of the Ordinance into
existing regulations elsewhere, or leaving the Ordinance intact.  Many of the
options require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for
implementation.  Continued from March 22, 1996.
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Letter explaining the dangers inherent in the above scheduled meeting:
 
March 22, 1996
 
To:  Friends of Archaeology
 
From: Leif Greenman
 
Subject:  Proposal to Eliminate Archaeology Protection
 
Conservative land use rights advocates are proposing elimination of the
County of San Diego Resource Protection Ordinance (RPO); arguing that CEQA is
enough.  To save the biology, the County staff will propose to the Planning
Commission to eliminate protection of archaeology and historical buildings
from RPO.  This will be heard at 9:00 AM on March 29, 1996.  Your comment is
urgently needed.
 
After years of controversal "salvage digs" at which less than 1% of any
archaeology was actually saved from bulldozers, the late Emily Durbin of the
Sierra Club fought to protect important archaeology along with forest and
waterways in the RPO.  Native American bands and avocational archaeologists
supported the ordinance.
 
Since 1988, thousands of prehistoric archaeology sites have been preserved in
green belts, parks, and landscaped areas of shopping centers and
subdivisions.  The archaeology is out there for you to research at some
future time.  Even a few historical buildings have survived.  The RPO has
allowed consulting archaeologists to conduct testing to determine scientific
value and boundaries, but NOT CONDUCT SO--CALLED SALVAGE DIGS.
 
San Diego has been free of all the lawsuits, in-fighting so common to other
archaeologists, and no burials have been found in street grading.  The RPO
has made the best of all worlds.
 
Your letters are now needed to urge the Planning Commission to continue
protection of archaeology.  Explain why these places are important to you.
 Why is it better to preserve?  Who cares about human graves and religious
sites?  Why is short-term profit for environmental companies of little
long-term benefit to science if there is not enough money to dig adequate
samples?  Why fix what is not broken?
 
Send letters to Planning Commission, County of San Diego, 5201 Ruffin Road,
San Diego, CA 92193; FAX (619) 694-3373.