In the media, EHL expressed skepticism over new San Diego County policies.



The North County Times covered the opening of a new building housing the newly created San Diego County Department of Planning and Development Services (“New county planning office opens with customer focus,” September 27, 2012). EHL was quoted regarding new policies are also being put into place: Not everyone is excited about the department's customer-first focus. Dan Silver, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Endangered Habitats League, said in an email that his nonprofit "is quite concerned that the quality of environmental protection and the quality of planning may suffer if too much stress is given to the 'new culture of customer service.'" Silver, a close observer of San Diego County's land-use plans, added in a phone interview that the county's new customer-first emphasis makes him wonder whether the county has forgotten that members of the general public, not permit applicants, are its top priority. "This begs the question: Who is the customer?" Silver said.