|
|||||||
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 December 8, 2003 to December 12, 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,
December 8, 2003 – Three Boards of Supervisors
County governments have the biggest responsibility for local land
use planning, if you think in terms of territory covered. Structurally,
cities and counties have almost identical authority over land use,
but there’s simply more “land” in the unincorporated
areas governed by the Board of Supervisors. Most professional planners
argue that the largest part of new growth and development ought
to be directed to cities, with rural areas maintained for their
agricultural and natural resource values. Sometimes, however, it’s
hard to get Boards of Supervisors to see it that way. They have
authority over lots of land, so why not develop some of it?
At any rate, this is all by way of saying that land use decisions made by Boards of Supervisors are extremely important. Tomorrow, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is considering a “Right to Farm” ordinance. That’s agenda item #80. Their meeting starts at 9:00 o’clock. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors will be considering a legal issue that could cut off the rights of neighbors in Spreckels to protest a major new development. That’s agenda item #S-8, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. A proposed Gallo winery is item #S-7.
In San Luis Obispo County, the Board will consider changing its growth management system. The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m., and this is item #C-2.
You can get more information by clicking on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County Agenda
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/cttb/agenda1.htmSanta Cruz County Agenda
http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/Govstream/ASP/Display/
SCCB_AgendaDisplayWeb.asp?MeetingDate=12/9/2003San Luis Obispo County Agenda
http://www.co.slo.ca.us/Board_of_Supervisors_Inter.nsf/
Agendas_120903.htm?OpenPage&charset=windows-1252
Tuesday,
December 9, 2003 – Coastal Commission LCP Review
The State of California has said that land use decisions are basically
the responsibility of cities and counties. The State does tell local
governments the topics they have to address, as they consider planning
decisions, but the fundamental choices about land use are essentially
made at the local level, by local elected officials.
Professional planners argue that most new growth should be directed into cities, to make the most cost-effective and economical use of existing infrastructure, and to help preserve and protect agricultural land and natural resources. That’s great, but no law requires good planning. It’s a matter of political decisions, made at the local level by city council members, and by members of the County Board of Supervisors. This is specifically why people need to get involved, if they care about the consequences of those planning decisions.
There is a great exception to the basic rule I just outlined. In the coastal zone, the State has established a set of specific standards that local governments must follow. It’s the job of the State Coastal Commission to make sure that local governments follow those directions. Tomorrow, in a meeting to be held in San Francisco, the Commission is going to review how Monterey County is doing. Turns out, they need to do better, at least according to the Coastal Commission staff.
Lots of information is available. Click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Agenda for Coastal Commission meeting
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.htmlCoastal Commission staff report on Monterey County LCP
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/sc/W7a-12-2003.pdf
Wednesday,
December 10, 2003 – Monterey County Planning Commission
Last Tuesday, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors considered
a proposal to let D’Arrigo Brothers, a large agricultural business,
build an agricultural processing facility, and an office building,
on prime farmland located near the historic Town of Spreckels. You
can get more information by clicking on the Land Use Report link
at the KUSP website, at www.kusp.org. Just find the transcript for
today’s Land Use Report.
It would be hard to overemphasize the importance of the decision that’s pending on this proposed project. Today, sometime after 11:40 this morning, the Monterey County Planning Commission will consider what to do, and the public is invited to testify. The United Farm Workers, and Spreckels residents, are expected to be present and protesting the way this item is being handled.
At this stage, most of the debate is actually about “procedural” rather than “substantive” issues. Paving over 27 acres of prime farmland for a factory and an office building, and sending over 900 large trucks a day down narrow roads and streets in and adjacent to Spreckels, clearly does raise “substantive” concerns. However, the “procedural” issue is this: shouldn’t Monterey County prepare an Environmental Impact Report on this proposed project, prior to making the substantive decision. The County staff says “no.” The Planning Commission is going to decide.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Planning Commission Agenda
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/pbi/CCA/PC/12-10-03/pc12-10-03ahtm.htmStaff Report on D’Arrigo Application
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/pbi/CCA/PC/12-10-03/PLN020069PC1.pdfWilliamson Act Statute
http://ceres.ca.gov/topic/env_law/williamson/stat.htmlExplanation of Williamson Act Program
http://www.consrv.ca.gov/DLRP/lca/LandWatch letter on D’Arrigo Application EIR
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/spreckels/112503eir.htmlLandWatch letter on Farmland Security Zone Requirements
http://www.mclw.org/pages/issuesactions/spreckels/113003factories.html
Thursday,
December 11, 2003 – City of Monterey Study Session
The “unhidden agenda” of this Land Use Report is to encourage
Central Coast residents to get involved in the land use decision
making that so profoundly affects our future. How city and county
governments use their authority over land use will determine whether
new growth and development has a positive impact on the local economy,
environment, and social equity, or whether the opposite is the case.
Commercial opportunity, housing availability, and environmental
protection are all at stake, as local officials make land use decisions.
Self-government requires us to get involved ourselves. Many are quite dissatisfied with what seems to be happening in our local communities. My experience with local government, and it’s going on thirty years now, has convinced me that the democratic process actually does work, especially at the local level, but only when there is sustained and vigorous public participation.
End of speech. Here’s a participation opportunity I’d like to highlight this morning. This afternoon, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., the Monterey City Council will hold a joint meeting with a number of their Board and Commission Chairs, including the Chairs of the City Planning Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Architectural Review Committee. This meeting is open to the public. It’s a good opportunity for Monterey City residents to “scope out” how they might get involved in the future. Check the KUSP website for more information.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey City Website
http://www.monterey.org/Agenda, Monterey City Council Meeting
http://www.monterey.org/ccncl/agendas/2003/a031211ss.pdf
Friday,
December 12, 2003 – Alco Water Receivership
Water and land use are inextricably related. The City of Santa Cruz
is planning a new water supply that could meet future water demands,
as growth and development continue. Water rights issues may significantly
affect the future of agriculture on the Santa Cruz County North
Coast, and in the San Lorenzo Valley, a proposed timber harvest
could profoundly impact the watershed and water supply of the Lompico
Creek Water District.
On the Monterey Peninsula, water issues are “hot spots” of community controversy, and everyone is quite aware of the connection between new development and water availability.
In North Monterey County, continuing groundwater overdraft is perhaps the greatest challenge facing local residents. The proposed desalination plant at Moss Landing, intended to solve water problems on the Peninsula, may or may not provide any solution for the North Monterey County overdraft crisis.
Questions of institutional competence can also affect local water supplies, and impact land use and development. The Alco Water Company, which serves areas in and around Salinas, is now in a receivership. North Monterey County residents have a big stake in what happens. If you’re interested, a hearing has been set for Wednesday, December 17th, in Suite 214 of the Quadrangle Building, 1000 South Main Street, in Salinas. Get more information at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Alco Water Company Service Area
http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/CommDev/GenPlan/GenPlanFinal/
Elements/pdf/figureLU_10.pdfFor more information contact:
Jan Mitchell – janmitchell@redshift.com
Archives of past transcripts are available here
|
CONTACT 306 Capitol Street #101 PO Box 1876 Phone (831) 759-2824 Fax (831) 759-2825 |
|
