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KUSP LandWatch
News
Week of January 11, 2010 to January 15, 2010
Week of January 11, 2010 to January 15, 2010
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 January 11, 2010 to January 15, 2010
- Monday, January 11, 2010
Water Rates: Pajaro Sunny Mesa
- Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Today At The Board of Supervisors
- Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Housing Within Reach
- Thursday, January 14, 2010
Community Economic Development
- Friday, January 15, 2010
Gary Patton Is Hitting The Road
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP Radio by Gary A. Patton. The Wittwer & Parkin law firm is located in Santa Cruz, California, and practices environmental and governmental law. As part of its practice, the law firm files litigation and takes other action on behalf of its clients, which are typically private individuals, governmental agencies, environmental organizations, or community groups. Whenever the Land Use Report comments on an issue with which the Wittwer & Parkin law firm is involved on behalf of a client, Mr. Patton will make this relationship clear, as part of his commentary. Mr. Patton’s comments do not represent the views of Wittwer & Parkin, LLP, KUSP Radio, nor of any of its sponsors.
| Monday, January 11, 2010 Water Rates: Pajaro Sunny Mesa |
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| Governmental agencies called “Community Service Districts” can play an important role in providing water, sewer, and other services. Usually, Community Service Districts have a lower profile than cities, or counties, or special districts, and the officials in charge are generally appointed, not elected.
The Pajaro–Sunny Mesa Community Service District is anything but “low profile.” Governed by five appointees of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, the District has been aggressively litigating against the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, claiming that a significant part of the Agency’s revenues come from illegally imposed charges. One of the consequences of this litigation could actually be to drive the Water Management Agency out of business. Pajaro–Sunny Mesa has a desalination proposal it would like to advance; one of the members of the District Board is currently accused of living outside the District; and the Board is soon going to decide on whether to increase its water rates 10% a year for the next five years. When I say “soon,” I mean tomorrow night. The District Board of Directors is scheduled to consider the rate increase at a meeting that will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12th. Those affected should definitely plan to attend. Those otherwise interested in this non-“low profile” water agency, can find out more by tracking down the transcript of today’s Land Use Report. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Today At The Board of Supervisors |
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Generally speaking, the land within cities is already “developed,” and “undeveloped” land lies outside city boundaries, which means that it’s under the jurisdiction of the County Board of Supervisors. Those who want to be involved in the policy decisions that will affect the future of currently undeveloped lands (often agricultural or open space and natural lands) need to pay special attention to what the Board of Supervisors is doing. In the Central Coast region, that’s actually pretty easy. The San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Cruz County Boards of Supervisors put their agenda packets online, so any person can not only find out what topics will be coming up for discussion, but can see the staff reports that the Board Members will review. Boards of Supervisors almost always meet on Tuesdays, so today’s the day! Today in Monterey County, the Board is being asked to approve a rural subdivision on its Consent Agenda, which means the Board is likely to approve this proposal to create more new parcels in North Monterey County, where traffic and water problems already exist. That’s Item #32. In Santa Cruz County, the Board will consider the Housing Element of the General Plan, set important land use matters for hearings, and talk about how to speed up and reform the permit approval process for residential construction projects. More information on all these items can be found in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Housing Within Reach |
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I am a big fan of a group called “Transition Santa Cruz,” because this group is attempting to engage members of the greater Santa Cruz community in the key water, transportation, and land use issues that will have such an important effect on our future. Civic education leads to civic engagement, and civic engagement leads directly to “politics,” which is where the policies that guide our collective actions come from. I keep thinking that Bob Dylan was right when he said, “we live in a political world.” Because it is “political,” we can change it. Maybe even make some improvements. Looking around at what’s happening now, I think we’d better try! The latest civic education project of Transition Santa Cruz is a series of evening presentations called “Housing Within Reach.” You can get full information from the transcript of today’s Land Use Report, or by simply searching out the Transition Santa Cruz website. The series will take place on alternate Thursday evenings, from January 14th through March 11th, and the first session is tomorrow night. From 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. tomorrow, at the United Methodist Church at 250 California Street in Santa Cruz, you can find out about “Housing Economics,” why we are losing ground on affordability and what we can do about it. I hope many of you will be able to attend, and if you have a conflict tomorrow, don’t forget the rest of the presentations in the “Housing Within Reach” series. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Thursday, January 14, 2010 Community Economic Development |
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Mark your calendars for a “Community Meeting on Economic Development,” sponsored and led by Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker. The meeting will be held at the Marina Library from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 31st. Supervisor Parker is holding quarterly community meetings, to discuss specific issues of importance to County residents. The meetings are structured to share information about the selected topic with those who attend, and then to solicit input and reactions from the participants. Feedback from the meetings is placed into a brief summary report that is shared with the County Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Supervisors. Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold is also focusing on economic development issues, and is also making a real effort to engage the public in what County government is doing. During the next three months, Supervisor Leopold will hold an open community meeting each Wednesday evening, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. You can get complete information by contacting Steve Kennedy, in Supervisor Leopold’s office. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 20th at the Loma Prieta Community Center, 23800 Summit Road. Other meeting locations include Michael’s on Main, in Soquel; People’s Coffee, at 1200 17th Avenue in Live Oak; and Erik’s Deli Cafe, at 1664 Soquel Drive in Santa Cruz. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Friday, January 15, 2010 Gary Patton Is Hitting The Road |
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I am heading out for some pretty extended travel, and won’t be back until the middle of March. I will not, in other words, be here each weekday on the Land Use Report. The Land Use Report itself, however, will continue on, and you’ll be hearing from Monterey County and Santa Cruz County community leaders, giving you their thoughts on how active and engaged citizen participation can make a difference. Land use decisions do have an important impact on our local economy, environment, and social equity. Most land use decisions are made at the local level, which means that meetings of County Boards of Supervisors will almost always address at least a few items relating to land use policy. Boards of Supervisors meet on Tuesdays, and their agendas are online by the previous Friday. Check them out! And don’t forget City Council meetings! Most City Councils meet at least a couple of times per month, and these meetings, too, almost always involve important land use policy and project decisions. You can get access to a set of “Land Use Links” by clicking on the Land Use Report icon on the KUSP website. Because our personal participation in the land use decision-making process can make such a huge difference, it’s important for us to get involved! That’s the “unhidden agenda” of the Land Use Report, and it’s a theme that will continue to be heard, even though I’m not here myself to deliver the message. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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Archives of past transcripts are available here
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