If you haven’t already voted, tomorrow might be a good time! In fact, it will be your last chance this year, and the stakes are high where land use is concerned. The people we elect have the power to act for us, and “their” decisions will become “our” decisions. The next Governor of the State of California is going to have to address land use. One candidate (Meg Whitman) was just in Salinas last week. Another candidate (Jerry Brown) is going to be at the Steinbeck Center this afternoon; I’m told he’ll be there at 2:45. Think about showing up personally, to put in a plug for good land use policy.

Several statewide ballot measures are also important. I’d suggest that Proposition 21 (providing stable funding for state parks) is one of them. Similarly important is Proposition 23, which would overturn the Global Warming Solutions Act. Proposition 25 could restore a “majority vote” on the state budget, which might eliminate special interest “riders” relating to land use, now often enacted as a way to pick up the votes needed to get to a 2/3 “supermajority.” Proposition 26, would extend the “supermajority” vote requirement, and would have the opposite effect.

Local races, of course, are also important. The Fourth District Supervisor race in Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz City Council races, and the Mayor and Council races in Marina come immediately to mind.

More Information:

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

Information on the election
http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/

In a second, I will be talking about the Mills Act. But I have a reminder, first. Today is Election Day. Please don’t miss your chance to vote!

OK, what about the Mills Act? Does anyone even know what that is? Only a few of you! I thought so. Well, I won’t say that the Mills Act is as important as some of our other laws relating to land use; like, for instance, the Williamson Act. But the Mills Act is important, and is intended to preserve and protect historically significant properties. The Williamson Act, if that name doesn’t ring a bell, is intended to preserve and protect agricultural land.

Both the Mills Act and the Williamson Act provide property tax breaks, if the owners will voluntarily agree to preserve their historic properties (in the case of the Mills Act) and their agricultural land (in the case of the Williamson Act). Both programs are implemented at the county level. Today, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors will be considering two Mills Act applications. The first is for the Captain’s Inn Bed & Breakfast in Moss Landing. The second is for the Joan Baez house in Carmel Valley. To be clear, the second application is not being made by Joan Baez, but by the current property owner of a house once owned by Joan Baez. I think, for Bob Dylan fans, that he was there.

There is more information in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

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

Monterey County Board Agenda
http://publicagendas.co.monterey.ca.us/
The Mills Act applications are found in Agenda Item S-1

A month or so ago, KUSP let me know that they wanted to terminate the Land Use Report as of the first of December. Complaints had been received about one or more of my presentations, and the station told me that they were concerned about two things: first, that the placement of the Land Use Report as a “local insert” within “Morning Edition” might give the land use issues I cover a disproportionate editorial emphasis. Second, the fact that I am a practicing environmental attorney, who sometimes has an employment-related involvement with the land use issues I talk about, could lead to a perception of bias or conflict of interest.

I absolutely believe that station management must address these kinds of issues in the way it best sees fit, and I have been prepared, and have been planning, to “step down” from these weekday Land Use Reports as of the last Friday in November. Maybe, though, that won’t be necessary. I am working with the KUSP station management to keep the Land Use Report going, in the same place in KUSP’s programming schedule, but with additional disclosure and “transparency” statements to address any potential bias or conflict of interest issue.

I’m convinced that land use policy has an important impact on the future of our local economy, and on our environment, and on whether we can achieve our social equity goals. I’m hoping that the station and I can work things out. I’ll keep you posted!

More Information:

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

I keep an eye out for land use policy and project issues affecting the Central Coast, or what might be called the “AMBAG Region.” AMBAG stands for “Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments,” and the AMBAG Region includes Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties.

About a week ago, I highlighted a huge new “solar farm” proposal in San Benito County. Today, I am reporting on another large-scale proposal: the “Santana Ranch” development. The fact that large-scale developments are now proceeding in San Benito County means that growth pressures there are greater than in other parts of the AMBAG Region. In my experience, when growth pressures are high, public involvement ought to be high, too. So, here’s a “heads up” to those who live in, or who care about, San Benito County.

The proposed Santana Ranch development would consist of over one thousand new homes on a 292-acre property in San Benito County. Ten percent of the homes are supposed to be reserved for lower income persons. That’s not much, actually. In Santa Cruz County, there is a minimum 15% low-income housing requirement, and where General Plan changes and rezonings are required (as is true in the “Santana Ranch” proposal), the Santa Cruz County Board may require up to a 40% low-income set-aside.

A link to more information can be found in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

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

San Benito County Website
http://www.san-benito.ca.us/

Hollister Freelance article on Santana Ranch development proposal
http://www.freelancenews.com/news/269908-
call-put-off-on-santana-ranch-development-agreement

Not all my predictions come true, but I did give an advisory to Land Use Report listeners that has turned out to be prophetic. As the Monterey County Board of Supervisors began to close in on final approval of the Monterey County General Plan Update, the Board took action to reduce future growth opportunities in Carmel Valley, as a way to respond to concerns about traffic and water supply problems (problems that will only get worse as more development takes place). My warning was not to consider that policy decision to be a “done deal” until after the final vote.

In fact, before the Board of Supervisors took its final vote on the Monterey County General Plan Update, on October 26th, the Board did first “undo” their earlier policy action, coming down on the side of development interests. I wasn’t there to see exactly how this policy reversal came about, but I wasn’t surprised to read about it in the Carmel Pine Cone. If you’d like to see the story, track down the transcript for today’s Land Use Report.

What comes next on the General Plan Update? After eleven years, the Board has finally made a decision on a new General Plan document, and will now have to take the next several years “implementing” the policies contained in the new General Plan. Those who don’t like what the Board did have thirty days from October 26th to challenge the Board’s action. I will definitely keep you posted!

More Information

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

Carmel Pine Cone Story (See Page 1)
http://www.pineconearchive.com/downloads101029.htm