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KUSP LandWatch
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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 September 29, 2003 to October 3, 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,
September 29, 2003 –Pajaro Valley Water Management
Water management issues are ever more important. That’s true
locally. It’s true on a statewide level. And it’s true
even on a global scale. One tip off is the interest now being shown
in “privatizing” water supplies. Multinational corporations
have seen that water is going to be increasingly scarce, and have
decided that they would like to “own” water rights. Water
can be a profit center. That’s what these corporations think.
Since water is absolutely necessary for life, how we manage our scarce water supplies is a topic that cries out for more thought, and for more citizen participation. Increasing demands for water, everywhere, have overstretched supply. No longer can we assume that adequate water will be easily available as population grows, or as new business or agricultural enterprises search for the water they need. This is not a news flash. The implications of this situation, however, are only beginning to dawn on us.
Locally, these issues are being addressed by virtually all the public agencies that deal with water. Today, at 3:30 p.m., the Strategic Planning and Public Outreach Committee of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency will be meeting in Watsonville. This may be a very good time to get involved with this little known, but very important agency. Maintaining public control over water, instead of making it a “market good,” could be critically important for our future.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Website
http://www.pvwma.dst.ca.us/For PVWMA meeting information call: 831-722-9292
Tuesday,
September 30, 2003 – The MBEST Center
Listeners may know that the University of California at Santa Cruz
has acquired lands on the Former Fort Ord for the development of
a “research park.” The model was pioneered by Stanford
University, whose “Stanford Research Park” has been a
great profit center, while it has also supported academic efforts
in the sciences. The UCMBEST Center is located mostly in the City
of Marina, but includes an unincorporated area under the jurisdiction
of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The adopted plans for
the MBEST Center say that the land should be used for industrial
development, as a “research park.” It is not an area for
residential uses. The “Phase II” part of the property,
located in the unincorporated area, is currently used for commercial
organic agriculture.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors meets today, and Item #13 on their Consent Agenda relates to the MBEST Center. The Board is considering a contract with a planning consultant to develop a “concept plan” for a major residential subdivision on the MBEST agricultural land. $125,000 of federal tax money would be used. The question posed is this: does it make sense to spend that kind of money to develop a “concept” design for a residential use when the existing plans don’t allow a residential use? If planning means anything, the answer has to be “no.”
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
MBEST Center Website
http://www.ucmbest.org/Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agenda
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/suagenda/agenda.htmlCounty Redevelopment Plan For Fort Ord
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/pressrel/RFP9701RedvlpmntPln.pdfFort Ord Reuse Authority Website
http://www.fora.org/
Wednesday,
October 1, 2003 – The Watsonville General Plan Update
You can almost always get more information about the topics mentioned
in these Land Use Reports by clicking on the Land Use Report link
at www.kusp.org. I hope that listeners with internet access will
do that from time to time, and that you’ll send me an email
to give me your comments and suggestions.
Today, I have a suggestion for you, at least if you happen to be a resident of the City of Watsonville. Watsonville is just beginning a General Plan Update process. Unless you’re brand new to these weekday reports, you know that the local General Plan is the single most important document guiding future land use. How we decide to use the land is a matter of community choice, and a local General Plan profoundly affects our future. General Plan policies affect the environment, our local economy, and whether we can achieve greater social equity, as growth and development proceed. Natural resource protection, affordable housing, street design, historic preservation, agricultural land preservation, where schools will be located….the list goes on. The General Plan addresses all of these, and many more, critical topics.
So, if you’re a resident of the City of Watsonville, consider applying to be on the Watsonville General Plan Steering Committee. Applications are now being accepted. Find out how you can apply at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Watsonville Website
http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/Information on the General Plan Steering Committee
http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/steeringplan.htmlApplication form
http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/gpscapp.pdfFor more information call the Watsonville City Clerk – 831-728-6005
Thursday,
October 2, 2003 – The City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission
At 7:00 o’clock this evening, at the Santa Cruz City Hall,
the Santa Cruz City Planning Commission will consider the revised
2002-2007 Housing Element of the City of Santa Cruz General Plan.
The meeting is a “Study Session,” which means that no
action will be taken. It’s a particularly a good time for those
interested in affordable housing and other housing issues to get
a kind of “quick and dirty” education on the facts and
figures.
State law requires every local community to plan ahead for future land uses, and to include the following “Elements” in the local General Plan:
Mostly, local governments have lots of discretion about what they can decide to include in their local General Plan, but the State is much more directive with respect to the Housing Element. From the State’s perspective, many local communities want to discourage new housing, and the State is always trying to make communities accept what the State determines is the community’s “fair share” of projected statewide population growth. Largely because of this state-local tension, adoption of a Housing Element is always full of controversy.
The Housing Element document itself is also full of facts. If you’re interested in any aspect of housing, within the City of Santa Cruz, the meeting tonight will almost certainly be worthwhile.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Santa Cruz Website
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/
Friday,
October 3, 2003 – Salt Pond Restoration
Land use planning is often thought of as an activity mainly directed
at protecting the natural environment. In fact, though, land use
policy affects not only the natural environment, but also our local
economy, and social equity. LandWatch Monterey County, the group
for which I work, has actually directed most of its efforts to land
use issues with economic and social equity impacts, with a particular
focus on housing. It would be hard to overstate the importance of
these issues.
However, as important as economic and social equity issues are, our human societies are ultimately dependent on the natural environment. Our planning policies need to respect, and protect, the natural systems that make life possible. With this indisputable truth in mind, I’d like to give you a “heads up” on an event that you may want to attend. I think it will be an outstanding opportunity to learn about and celebrate the natural environment.
On Thursday, October 16th, the Northern California Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers will conduct a tour of the salt ponds in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay. The tour will be led by a wetland biologist, Francesca Demgen, who been working on the ponds for many years. The one hour tour, to be followed by a dinner meeting and presentation on wetland restoration, is bound to be informative. For more information go to www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
NCC-ACHMM Website
http://www.ncc-achmm.org/
The October 16, 2003 tour will focus on the salt ponds adjacent to Alameda Creek, in the Union City/Newark area. If you’d like to take part, please contact Judy Turner at judyjayeterner@yahoo.com , or at 510-651-8289
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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