Tea Party and Green Party Battling Over Plan for Cedar Falls

The Black Hawk County Green Party has announced their opposition to the efforts of Cedar Falls Citizens Against the 2020 Plan, the

The Comprehensive Plan Update is a 201-page document dealing with conservation of natural resources, transportation and land use or city development, city officials said.

Both groups plan to attend a city council special hearing set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall.

The Green Party issued a statement today in response to, "the local Tea Party campaign ''"

The Green Party's press release says that Citizens Against the 2020 Plan is using words like "liberty" and "freedom" to, "actually sway citizens into giving up their rights to things like sustainable living, clean air, soil and water and greater access to their own community."

Judd Saul, leader with the local Tea Party and the Stop 2020 group, rejected the Green Party’s statement.

“We don’t have a clean air issue in Cedar Falls, Iowa,” he said.

Black Hawk County recently got a “D” grade for particle air pollution, which includes fossil fuel emissions, by the American Lung Association in its State of the Air" report.

When asked about the report, Saul said, “It’s all (expletive) even if it is from the American Lung Association.”

He said, “If you live in a desert and you breathe dust in, that’s bad too. We’re all going to die, and there’s nothing we can do to stop from dying.”

Saul said reducing carbon emissions from vehicles will not affect the air.

“To think that carbon emission is going to hurt our air quality is extremely arrogant, and it’s stupid to think that,” he said.

Last night, Citizens Against the 2020 Plan held a meeting at the Pipac Center where an estimated 30 people gathered to discuss their vision for a Property Rights Council. They will ask the city council to postpone the passing of the comprehensive plan until such a council is put in place and can make its recommendations.

A Citizens Against the 2020 plan YouTube video says that Cedar Falls is being, “lured into a hidden agenda,” by ICELI, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, an organization the group says was created by the United Nations in 1990.

However, city council member Susan DeBuhr dismissed that idea.

“There’s nothing evil about this plan,” DeBuhr said. “Saying it was some kind of plot with the U.N. is completely untrue. We do not pay dues to any such organization.”

Saul said the council has “totally downplayed” what the plan could do.

“The basic point I can say is that this plan is not just a guideline,” he said. “Our concern is that the city staff is passing it off as if it’s not a big deal.”

City planner Marty Ryan, however, maintains that the plan is indeed a guideline and not an ordinance or a law. The plan’s mission statement says it will provide a legal basis for land use regulations and present a unified vision for the community.

In 2010 the city hired a consultant, RDG Planning & Design, to conduct research, public meetings, and compile an in-depth report that lead to the plan. Ryan said the consultant was paid for in part by city funds and a $50,000 grant from the State Department of Economic Development.