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LandWatch State of Monterey County Report 1999
5. Recommendations
 



By Current development in Monterey County is resulting in an increasingly inefficient use of land. Monterey County's growth rate is the third highest in the state, and if trends continue, the impacts of current growth will degrade residents' quality of life, lead to significant losses of agricultural land, and threaten the county's long-term economic vitality.

Inadequate infrastructure is in place to support existing levels of development in many parts of Monterey County. This is particularly true with respect to the lack of adequate road and highway capacity, water supply, and schools. Unless something changes, existing problems will become significantly worse. In the next five years, already approved and constructed projects will add 8,167 dwelling units, 4.98 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, and 701 hotel and motel rooms. Pending projects, if approved, would almost double these numbers. Furthermore, although Monterey County's growth rate is one of the highest in the state, the growth and development occurring in Monterey County is not leading to the production of housing that can be afforded by ordinary working families, much less by persons who have low or very low incomes.

The trends documented in State of Monterey County 1999 are real--but trends never tell us what "must" or "will" happen in the future. Current trends are the result of past actions and past choices. What will happen in the future depends on our actions today. If we make no changes and do nothing new, then the trends documented in this report will define the future reality of Monterey County.

Many Monterey County jurisdictions are either in the process of amending their general plans, or will soon begin a general plan update. This report should make clear how necessary it is for Monterey County and the twelve cities to amend their general plans to incorporate the basic policy changes recommended by LandWatch.

LandWatch Monterey County believes that the facts presented in this report make a compelling case that land use policy changes must be made. In 1999, LandWatch Monterey County plans to continue to document the need for significant land use policy reform and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the policy changes outlined within this report. LandWatch not only will continue to educate and inform the public and elected officials, but will also speak out for the public interest as key land use debates arise.

Please join LandWatch in its effort to help define a new direction for land use policy in Monterey County. Working together, we can change the current trends and secure a future for Monterey County that will preserve both the beauty of this cherished place and the vitality of the economy that is so dependent on our wise and thoughtful use of the land.

LandWatch has documented that the current pattern and practice of development are putting the future of both the economy and environment of Monterey County at risk. LandWatch is thus proposing the following five-point program of significant land use policy reform:

  1. Land use policy should encourage the efficient use of land and the conservation of valuable natural resources through the designation of urban growth boundaries.

  2. The economic vitality of our local communities should be enhanced by directing new growth and investment inside designated urban growth boundaries and away from open space and productive farmlands.

  3. Land use policy should maximize social and economic opportunity by integrating affordable housing within mixed-income neighborhoods.

  4. Adequate public facilities and services--including police, fire, schools, parks, transportation facilities, and reliable water supplies--must be in place prior to, or concurrently with, new development.

  5. The land use regulatory system should be made more effective, efficient, and accountable, thus providing increased certainty for developers, landowners and the public, and eliminating unnecessary regulations and delay.

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LandWatch's mission is to protect Monterey County's future by addressing climate change, community health, and social inequities in housing and infrastructure. By encouraging greater public participation in planning, we connect people to government, address human needs and inspire conservation of natural resources.

 

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