PLAN Says Initiative Now Has Enough Signatures to Qualify

The growth-management group Prevent Los Angelization Now! announced Wednesday that it has collected enough signatures on petitions to qualify its Planned Growth and Taxpayer Relief Initiative for the June ballot.

In a statement, PLAN said it has collected more than 80,000 signatures, far more than the 56,785 necessary to place the measure before voters at the next citywide election.

If the San Diego County registrar of voters certifies that the petitions have enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, PLAN’s initiative will come before the San Diego City Council. The council has the option of adopting the initiative or placing it on the ballot.

PLAN said it would wait several weeks before turning in the signatures, so the initiative will not be considered by the council before the Sept. 17 primary election. Four of the eight council members are running for second terms in that election.

The measure, which includes provisions that seek to force builders to pay their fair share of services required to accompany new development, is certain to attract the opposition of the city’s powerful building industry and may face a court challenge.