LandWatch message to Board of Supervisors

July 16, 2007

Dave Potter, Chair
Monterey County Board of Supervisors
168 West Alisal Street
Salinas, CA 93901

SUBJECT: Parameters for Amending the 2006 General Plan Template

Dear Chair Potter and members of the Board of Supervisors:

LandWatch believes that the following policy areas identified in your staff report are critical parameters for amending the 2006 General Plan Template:

Community Areas
Rural Centers
Study Areas
Development Outside Community Areas and Rural Centers
Traffic
Water Supply
Affordable Housing

Missing, however, are several important policy areas, including:

Special Treatment Areas
Strengthening Area Plans Consistent with Voters’ Wishes
Policies Concerning How Frequently the General Plan Is Amended
Cultivation on Steep Slopes
The Permitting Process for Winery Facilities
Protection of Biological Resources

Addressing all of these issues will help the Board fulfill its stated goal of adopting the compromise general plan that Monterey County voters want.

We urge the Board to direct staff to identify the roadway system necessary to accommodate the projected growth that the amended plan will allow and to modify the noise element accordingly as required by the State General Plan Guidelines. The omission of these legal requirements in the 2006 General Plan was a serious flaw that we identified previously during the review process.

Thank you for consideration of our comments.

Sincerely,

Chris Fitz, Executive Director
LandWatch Monterey County

[Return to County Plan Update Issues and Actions]

posted 07.30.07