Sometimes I like to say “wave the magic wand.”
What I’m really saying is “what does success look like?”
Often the issues we face in our lives and in our city get confusing. So many details. So many things to take into consideration. Frustration can grow, making progress difficult which, in turn, degrades our decision-making abilities.
When that happens I like to say “wave the magic wand.” What does success look like? If we make the correct decisions, what will the end result be?
Now, obviously, there is no such thing as a magic wand and success may look different to each of us. That’s why basing our decisions on mutual respect, solid information and equitable planning processes is the only way to achieve a satisfying result.
We are blessed to live in a community where we have achieved so much in the attempt to build a city where people can live, work, shop and play (the definition of quality of life built in our General Plan). Over the last three decades we have made good on our promise to become the retail hub of the North County. Wine and tourism have spread the Paso Robles story far and wide. Just recently Expedia named Paso Robles as one of the top 50 travel destinations in North America. As someone who has lived in this area his entire life I can assure you that there was a time when today’s Paso Robles seemed like an impossible dream. It’s as if someone back in the 1980s waved a magic wand.
But, there is no such thing as a magic wand. For more than three decades the people of Paso Robles have worked through the significant issues of earthquake, water, growth and economic recession. At times the road has been rocky and the passions have run high. In the end, however, mutual respect, solid information and equitable planning have served us well.
Change is coming to our city, our state and our nation. Immigration, housing, economic development. Some of these issues have already arisen locally. Our recent discussions regarding Paso Robles’ response to California’s Sanctuary State law drew hundreds to Council Chambers. I am so proud that so many were able to express themselves and allow others the same opportunity. This conversation will continue. The economy and the pent up demand for housing is bringing potential development in our Specific Plan areas to the forefront. Again, we come together to voice concerns and ideas. This conversation, too, will contine. We will make use of the environmental review process to assess impacts on traffic, water, air quality, noise and other areas. All of this is open for public input. The resulting facts will propel a planning process that will maximize the positive aspects of change and minimize the negative ones.
These issues, and others, are complex. And it’s easy to surrender to emotion, fear and frustration when grappling with them. That, however, is not the way we handle things in Paso Robles. We are a “can-do” community. We know there’s no such thing as a magic wand. We know that working together, with respect for each other, solid information and effective planning, we will succeed. We will keep Paso Robles, Paso Robles. And, 30 years from now, when we marvel at what a wonderful place this is in which to work, live, shop and play, we will look back at what we were in the first quarter of the 21st Century and realize how we all worked together to make it so.
Until next we blog, here’s to you Paso Robles!