Marina residents who want to learn more about the proposed development of the Cypress Knolls area should plan to be at the Marina Library, at 190 Seaside Circle, from 7:00 to 9:00 o’clock this evening. Citizens For A Sustainable Marina will be hosting a presentation by the Peninsula Housing Project. Vince DiMaggio, a member of the Monterey County Local Agency Formation Commission, and someone who has an extensive background in private sector residential development, will be speaking about the proposal.

Cypress Knolls used to be called "Lower Patton Park" (no relation, by the way), when Fort Ord was an Army base. The Peninsula Housing Project proposal, which will be discussed this evening, would place 772 senior units on a188-acre site. If you do the math, you will see that this is not what you would call "high density" housing. 772 units on 188 acres translates to about 4 units to the acre, far less dense than a typical single-family development.

The proposed Cypress Knolls development is not yet a "done deal," so now is a good time to get involved. Citizens For A Sustainable Marina praises the proposal for its "new urbanist" design, calling the development a "thoughtful approach," that will "serve the needs and desires of senior residents."

Why don’t you take some time this evening to learn more?

More Information:

Gary Patton writes a daily blog, "Two Worlds / 365"
http://www.gapatton.net

City of Marina Website
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/

City Information on Cypress Knolls
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/index.aspx?nid=200

Citizens For A Sustainable Marina, Website Information
http://www.sustainablemontereycounty.org/
citizens-for-a-sustainable-marina.html

The California Coastal Commission is meeting this week in San Luis Obispo. There are a number of items of local interest on the agenda, not including, however, the proposed Arana Gulch Master Plan.

Those who have been following the Arana Gulch proposal can attest that it has proven to be a controversial and difficult subject. The proposed Master Plan includes a bike path connecting the City of Santa Cruz with Live Oak, and that proposed bike path would impact an area officially denominated as "ESHA" under the California Coastal Act. That’s another acronym, isn’t it? "ESHA" means "Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area," and the Coastal Act gives ESHA special protection.

Finding a way to carry out the project consistent with Coastal Act habitat protection policies turns out not to be that easy. When the Commission last considered the Master Plan, it asked its staff and the City of Santa Cruz to review potential alternatives, and then to report back. There was some indication that the results of this review would be an item on the Commission’s August agenda, but it appears that Coastal staff review of the City’s newest proposal is not yet complete. I will certainly try to keep you posted about the schedule for this very important item.

Meantime, do check out the agenda for the Commission’s meeting on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. There is a link to the agenda in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

Gary Patton writes a daily blog, "Two Worlds / 365"
http://www.gapatton.net

Coastal Commission Website
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/

Agenda, August Commission Meeting
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html

Information on ESHA
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/la/lcpguide/
lcpguide_resources_4.pdf

The Monterey County Planning Commission is meeting today, and will be considering some important items. For instance, the Commission will receive a report on visitor accommodation units within Carmel Valley. If you are a Carmel Valley resident, you are undoubtedly aware, personally, of the kind of impacts that are associated with tourism.

Most important will be the Commission’s consideration of the proposed General Plan Update, scheduled for 10:00 o’clock this morning, as Agenda Item #4. There is a link to a lengthy staff analysis in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report. Today is likely to be the "final call" for comments at the Planning Commission level. The staff is recommending that the Commission adopt a resolution recommending that the Board of Supervisors adopt the General Plan Update, and certify the required Environmental Impact Report, or EIR.

The County has been working to "update" its 1982 General Plan since 1999, and this is the fifth version considered. Previously, the "update" process has always stalled at the Board of Supervisors level, as the Board has been unwilling to resolve controversies by making a decision itself. Controversies still exist, so the question is, will the Board’s action be different this time? There is still an opportunity for you to get involved, and in terms of land use policy, nothing could be more important.

More Information:

Gary Patton writes a daily blog, "Two Worlds / 365"
http://www.gapatton.net

Monterey County Planning Department Information
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/planning/

General Plan Update Information
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/
planning/gpu/GPU_2007/gpu_2007.htm

Planning Commission Meetings
http://monterey.granicus.com/
ViewPublisher.php?view_id=14#2010

Staff Report on General Plan
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/planning/
cca/pc/2010/08-11-10/PLN070525PC1_081110.pdf

Staff Report on Carmel Valley Visitors
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/planning/
cca/pc/2010/08-11-10/REF100022PC1.pdf

The November 2nd election will give voters a chance to vote on many ballot measures that will have profound impacts on land use and land use policy, and if you suspect that television advertisements are not going to give you the real story, I think you’re on to something! Luckily, Secretary of State Debra Bowen makes it easy to get reliable information, including specifically the full text of each ballot measure.

Should we establish a firm and continuing revenue source for our State Park system? Should we repeal the "California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006?" Should we make it harder for the State Legislature and the Governor to divert transportation funds to other purposes? Should we borrow upwards of $11 billion dollars to build new water supply projects? That last item, Proposition 18, may not, actually, reach the voters this November. After having placed the measure on the ballot, the Governor and the Legislature are now talking about taking it off, either delaying it until 2012, or just removing it entirely.

The upcoming election is more than about Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown, and what we think about legalizing marijuana. I’ll talk more in the coming weeks, about some of the land use impacts of what I think is going to be one of the most important elections in a long time.

More Information:

Gary Patton writes a daily blog, "Two Worlds / 365"
http://www.gapatton.net

List of qualified statewide ballot measures
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/
qualified-ballot-measures.htm

The Department of the Army has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment, or "EA," for a proposed Monterey Bay Regional Water Project. The proposed project is for an "Aquifer Storage and Recovery" system. It would require the construction of two wells to allow for the injection of water into the underlying Seaside Groundwater basin, where that water would be stored; water would then be pumped out when needed during periods of peak demand. The project would provide additional water storage capacity for California American Water, and additional drinking water supply to the service area. The result is intended to be a reduction in demand for groundwater pumping, which would help protect wells from seawater intrusion.

Hard copies of the "Environmental Assessment" can be reviewed at the Seaside City Library, at the Marina Library, and at the Department of Public Works of the US Army Garrison at the Presidio of Monterey. Comments are due by August 19th.

There is a lot going on in terms of water policy in Monterey County. The fact that even the Army is involved indicates the breadth of the various measures currently moving forward. A link to more information can be found in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report, including a link to a June 23rd letter from the League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula, which talks about another important effort underway – and a more controversial one.

More Information

Gary Patton writes a daily blog, "Two Worlds / 365"
http://www.gapatton.net

League of Women Voters Information
http://www.lwvmp.org/action/r201006022.html

Army Notice
http://www.monterey.army.mil/dpw/index.html

Comments on the EA should go to: Lenore Grover-Bullington, POM Environmental Chief, US Army Garrison, Presidio of Monterey, 4463 Gigling Road, Monterey, CA 93944; Telephone: (831) 242-7925; Email: asrea@rbf.com