After a heated and long fought battle to determine Clover Valley’s future, Rocklin residents went to the polls throughout Tuesday and dealt the “No on H” group a devastating loss. With 100% of precincts reporting, the Placer County election results show the passage of the Yes measure by a margin of over 5% or approximately 900 votes. The widespread support among Rocklin residents, that many supporting “No on H” claimed, failed to materialize and they were unable to muster enough votes to halt the passage of Measure H.
For many of the voters we spoke with, it came down to a combination of tax concerns, land ownership rights and the willingness of the developer to adjust the original development plans. The preservation of ancient Indian artifacts and oak trees was a non-issue for those we spoke with on both sides. Those supporting “No on H” viewed those as supporting Measure H as under the influence of a wealthy and heavy handed developer. However, the voters didn’t buy into this train of thought.
Both sides shared concern that the development will have a negative impact in terms of traffic. Although, those supporting “Yes on H”, didn’t feel the impact would be as bad as the “No on H” side was portraying. They also shared a common belief that it is important for the Rocklin City Council to do a better job of managing growth than they have in prior years. Those supporting “Yes on H” felt this was a good start. Those opposing measure H expected just more of the same with the passage of measure H.
In the end, Yes on Measure H passed in what many consider the biggest political battle in Rocklin history. Rocklin voters delivered a strong message that private land ownership rights should be respected while growth in Rocklin should be controlled and managed more effectively than it has been in the past.
We’ve contacted both sides of this debate along with City Officials and will be posting their responses to the election as we receive them.