Holodnak

The City of San Diego appeals a judgment denying its petition for a peremptory writ of mandate to require James Holodnak, former acting auditor and controller of San Diego, to release funds collected from North City West landowners.

I

Seeking to prevent uncontrolled suburban sprawl, San Diego adopted its progress guide and general plan for controlled, orderly and rational growth. Before any subdivision maps for new developments are recorded, the general plan requires San Diego to adopt a financing plan for developers to pay for public facilities a new community will need.

North City West is a new community being built in the northwest corner of San Diego, directly east of Del Mar and Interstate 5. It contains about 4,200 acres which the North City West Community Plan estimates will be developed into about 14,000 homes, a town center and commercial and industrial complexes.

In April 1982, San Diego prepared the North City West Public Facilities Financing Plan. It provides for use of several financing methods which, consistent with the general plan, requires the developers of North City West to pay for North City West’s public facilities. Part of the financing plan…