 |
Home | Issues & Actions | About |
Archive Page This page is available as an archive to previous versions of LandWatch websites. |
KUSP LandWatch
News
Week of April 7, 2003 to April 11, 2003
"Listen Live"
|
|||||||
KUSP LandWatch
News |
|||||||
|
ogo.gif" width="108" height="109" border="0"> "Listen Live" |
KUSP provided a brief Land Use Report on KUSP Radio from January 2003 to May 2016. Archives of past transcripts are available here.
Week of April 7, 2003 to April 11, 2003
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP Radio by Gary Patton, Executive Director of LandWatch Monterey County. The opinions expressed by Mr. Patton are not necessarily those of KUSP Radio, nor of any of its sponsors.
Monday,
April 7, 2003 – What’s The Status of The Monterey County
GPU?
Almost three years ago, Monterey County began an “Update”
of its General Plan. Outreach meetings took place all around the
county. A report on what the public wanted was presented to the
Planning Commission, and to the Board of Supervisors. Based on that
report, the Board ultimately adopted twelve “Guiding Objectives”
upon which to build a new General Plan.
Using these twelve “Guiding Objectives” as the foundation, the County staff then developed a draft General Plan Update. Extensive public and environmental review took place, and there was a lot of debate, and discussion, and conflict, and controversy. Finally, revisions to the draft General Plan Update were adopted by the Board in a series of meetings ending last November. The County staff was then supposed to produce a “second draft” of the General Plan Update, for even more public and environmental review. Something over two million dollars has been spent on the process, to date.
This brief history of the process sparks a question I’m hearing frequently: “What’s the status of the Monterey County General Plan Update?” “When is the public going to get a chance to comment on the ‘second draft’ of the GPU?” While no one is absolutely certain, the best information available is that a “second draft” General Plan Update will be presented to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 29th. If you’ve been following the process, you might want to mark your calendar!
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
The “First Draft” GPU
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/Reports/
Draft%20General%20Plan.htmMonterey County General Plan Update Website
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/
Tuesday,
April 8, 2003 – The San Benito County Growth Initiative
Something very unusual happened last Tuesday in San Benito County.
Here’s the story.
San Benito County is right next door to the Silicon Valley, and has been under terrific growth pressure. This has led to the loss of farmland and open space, escalating public service costs, traffic jams, and the other impacts that typically accompany poorly-managed and unrestrained growth. As a result, the local community has become energized on growth-related issues, and there have been a number of attempts to deal with growth issues through the initiative process.
Most recently, San Benito County activists circulated a petition to enact a “San Benito County Growth Control Initiative,” and they qualified that measure for the ballot by getting sufficient signatures. Normally, in a situation like this, the Board of Supervisors takes official action to place the measure on the ballot for a decision by the voters. However, the Board does have the option simply to enact the measure directly. That’s what happened last Tuesday with the “San Benito County Growth Control Initiative.” The San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the initiative measure, with no need for an election. This measure is now the “law of the land” in San Benito County, and it can’t be changed without a vote of the people.
If you’d like to review the provisions of this comprehensive measure, click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
San Benito County Initiative
http://www.mclw.org/pages/issuesactions/
regional/020903sanbenito.html
Wednesday,
April 9, 2003 – A New Coalition on Monterey County Land Use
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors initiated a General Plan
Update process about three years ago. They’ve spent over two
million dollars on the process so far. It’s currently anticipated
that a “second draft” of the General Plan Update will
be released to the Board on Tuesday, April 29th.
The General Plan Update process has been quite controversial. The public at large has been generally supportive of strong policies to protect the incredible natural treasures of Monterey County, and to focus future growth in existing urban areas. Many development and landowner interests, however, have opposed those parts of the draft General Plan Update that would prevent the kind of sprawling development that is all too typical throughout the state of California.
Just recently, a new element has surfaced in the public discussion. A brand-new, broadly-based group has formed, called the “Coalition to Protect Housing, Farmlands, Air & Water.” They’re asking for public endorsements for a set of “Guiding Objectives” that closely parallel the “Guiding Objectives” on which the original draft General Plan Update was based. The idea seems to be to speak out against any “backsliding” from the strong policies contained in that “first draft” of the GPU.
If you’re interested in this topic, you can find out more about the Coalition by clicking on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Coalition Website
http://www.8of10monterey.com/
Thursday, April 10, 2003 – Santa Cruz City Integrated Water
Plan
What’s your schedule on next Tuesday, April 15th, at 1:00 p.m.?
Maybe you’ll be frantically working on your income taxes; or
you’ll be earning some money to be taxed next year; or it will
be a nice day, and you’ll be at the beach. There are lots of
different ways to spend time next Tuesday, though some do seem more
pleasant than others.
If you’d like to attend an important meeting next Tuesday, focusing on water, let me alert you to a special meeting of the Santa Cruz City Council. The Council will meet at City Hall, at 1:00 p.m. on April 15th, and will be discussing a proposed Integrated Water Plan for the City of Santa Cruz. Since the city’s water utility serves customers in Like Oak and elsewhere, it’s not only city residents who have a stake in the outcome.
A draft of the Integrated Water Plan is available at the Central Branch Library, and on the City’s website. Members of the public can receive a free copy on compact disc, from the City Water Department, or can order a printed copy from Kinko’s Copy Center at their own expense.
As you might guess, the key issue in the Integrated Water Plan is how future water needs will be met. The current suggestion is that the city look towards a desalination option. Desalination, not new dams, seems to be the preferred alternative in both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
There’s more information at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Agenda for April 15, 2003 Meeting
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/Staff Report on Integrated Water Plan
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/Draft Integrated Water Plan
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/wt/
Draft_Final_Council_Complete.pdf
Friday,
April 11, 2003 – FORA Housing Actions
The Board of Directors of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority is meeting
this afternoon, at 4:00 p.m. One of their “Old Business”
items is what FORA calls “Work Force Housing Recommendations.”
Interested members of the public are most certainly invited to attend.
The meeting will be held at the FORA conference facility, located
at 102 13th Street, Building 2925, right off the 12th Street exit
from Highway One.
Discussions about how to provide affordable housing opportunities on the former Fort Ord are definitely “Old Business.” For over a year, Congress Member Sam Farr, in particular, has been urging FORA to find a way to maximize affordable housing opportunities. The local officials who comprise the voting membership of FORA have been resisting calls to do more, and they have raised very legitimate concerns. Most recently, FORA obtained some outside assistance, essentially to evaluate whether there are, in fact, some things that FORA could do that they’re not already doing.
The Clark Group Report, now pending consideration, did outline a number of things that the FORA Board can do. To their credit, it looks like the FORA Board will seriously consider some action, to increase affordable housing production on Fort Ord. That’s the topic this afternoon, with more important, action items expected on June 13th. You might plan ahead for that meeting.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
FORA
http://www.fora.org/The Clark Group Report
http://www.mclw.org/pages/issuesactions/
fortord/clarkreport/index.html
Archives of past transcripts are available here
|
CONTACT 306 Capitol Street #101 PO Box 1876 Phone (831) 759-2824 Fax (831) 759-2825 |
|