LandWatch Suggests Affordable Housing Policy For GPU

Chairperson John Wilmot and Members
Monterey County Planning Commission
Box 1208
Salinas, CA 93902

RE: Specific Comments on GPU Housing Policies

Dear Members of the Planning Commission:

In its current form, the draft GPU would:

• Stimulate growth and development far in excess of predicted needs;
• Weaken existing environmental standards; and
• Fail to achieve necessary affordable housing goals

With this letter, I am submitting a specific policy proposal to address the failure of the current draft to achieve necessary affordable housing goals. I hope you will give this recommendation careful consideration, since providing adequate affordable housing for Monterey County residents and workers is extremely important.

LandWatch also plans to submit additional and “specific" recommendations to you by March 26, 2004, covering other aspects of the draft GPU. March 26th is the deadline you have established for written comments. While we know that specific comments will help the Commission improve the current draft GPU, the “general" comments made above are just as important. There are many “specific" ways to address the problems in the current draft of the General Plan Update. The most important thing for the Commission to do is to insist that these problems be corrected, prior to making a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

Under state law, the Planning Commission has real “authority." The Board is legally required to consider your recommendations before taking action. They can’t take action until they get those recommendations. Please make sure that the plan you recommend will be:

• Fiscally sound;
• Truly protect farmlands and our spectacular natural resources; and
• Provide housing that meets the needs of local workers and residents

This is what the Twelve Guiding Objectives say the GPU should do. The GPU will achieve these objectives only if the County is willing to make some tough choices now.

Very truly yours,

Gary A. Patton, Executive Director
LandWatch Monterey County

Recommended Changes to Housing Policies - January 2004 Draft GPU

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posted 03.23.04