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KUSP LandWatch
News
Week of August 29, 2011 to September 2, 2011
Week of August 29, 2011 to September 2, 2011
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 August 29, 2011 to September 2, 2011
- Monday, August 29, 2011
Commute Solutions
- Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Nonconforming Structures
- Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Veto of SB 582
- Thursday, September 1, 2011
Getting The Numbers
- Friday, September 2, 2011
The Pedestrian Safety Work Group
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, August 29, 2011 Commute Solutions |
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The SCCRTC, or the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, has a basic responsibility for highway planning on a countywide scale, and it's worth paying attention to what the Commission does. One thing that the Commission does is to try to stimulate a more "efficient" use of our existing transportation infrastructure. If you think about it, we have met the "energy crisis" by starting to use electric power more efficiently. California's leadership on this goes way back to the first administration of Governor Jerry Brown. We have met the multiple crises caused by our dependence on foreign oil (or oil in general) by requiring our vehicles to be more fuel-efficient. Similarly, water "conservation" is nothing more than finding a way to be more "efficient" in our use of water. Where transportation is concerned, the "build more roads" philosophy has run into massive economic and environmental problems, and in fact, we are finding that the best solution for almost every one of our transportation "crises" is not to build a new road, but to use our existing roadways more efficiently. Put in different terms, that means we need to increase transit and learn to "share rides." If you'd like to become part of the solution, the SCCRTC has a "Commute Solutions" program. Check it out through the link in the transcript of today's Land Use Report. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Tuesday, August 30, 2011 Nonconforming Structures |
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The Santa Cruz County Planning Department handles a lot of planning and building applications, and the Department doesn't always get rave reviews. There are lots of complaints about "red tape," and about procedures and processes that seem to take too long and cost too much. This is nothing "new." As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I heard those complaints from 1975 until I left office in 1995, twenty years later. Sixteen years have gone by since then, and there are still lots of complaints. In general, I think that the public understands that there needs to be regulation and oversight of activities that can have environmental and neighborhood impacts. New development and construction activities can have significant adverse effects, and the public needs to protect adjacent neighbors and the natural environment when individuals start grading the landscape, or tearing down buildings, or putting up new ones. Lots of problems can be avoided if a public agency reviews individual activities before, and not after, something is done, and insists that the proposed activity be done right. That said, speeding up the permit process, and reducing its cost and uncertainty is a worthwhile goal, as long as the public interest continues to be protected. Soon, the Planning Department will be rolling out some new "permit streamlining" regulations, relating to nonconforming structures. If you'd like to get an early look, call your Supervisor! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Wednesday, August 31, 2011 The Veto of SB 582 |
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Senate Bill 582 passed the State Senate, and then passed the State Assembly, and was then sent to the Governor for his signature. The Governor vetoed the bill. Senate Bill 582 would have instituted a four-year pilot project to test implementation of a "commuter benefits" program in different regions of the state. Such a program has worked well in San Francisco. The bill was expected to save employers up to 9% on payroll taxes, while helping employees get a 40% savings in transit costs. Thanks to a provision in federal tax law, it is possible for businesses to provide their employees with commuter assistance in a way that actually reduces taxes for the employers, while providing a truly significant economic benefit to the employees. The program is thus a kind of win-win program for everyone. Senate Bill 582 was an effort, at the state level, to stimulate more "efficiency" in the use of our existing transportation infrastructure. This is a topic I talked about on Monday, in the local context. Senate Bill 582 was sponsored by the Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Air Quality Management District. It was opposed by anti-tax groups and the California Chamber of Commerce. In the end, the Governor sided with the opponents. You can get a link to the text of SB 582 by clicking on the link in the transcript of today's Land Use Report. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Thursday, September 1, 2011 Getting The Numbers |
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I tend to be a "words" and not a "number" person. I guess that's why I am a lawyer and not an accountant. Numbers, though, are important, and I think that those seriously interested in land use and planning issues need to take "demographics" into consideration. Measure J, the Santa Cruz County growth management measure that I authored, and that was enacted by the voters in 1978, requires the County Board of Supervisors to prepare a report each year, providing some numerical information on the current rate of growth of Santa Cruz County. After a public hearing, the Board is then required to set a numerical "growth goal," so that future growth doesn't just "happen." The idea is to try to put the future growth and development of the community under community control. To do that, you do have to pay attention to the numbers. If you happen to be interested in demographics, you might like to know where you can get the latest statistics. If you go to the KUSP website, and track down the written transcript of today's Land Use Report, you'll find a link to the demographic information that covers all California counties, and shows changes from 1999 to 2010. The spreadsheets outline overall percentage change, numeric change, births, deaths, natural increase, net migration, net foreign immigration, and net domestic migration. Well worth reviewing! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Friday, September 2, 2011 The Pedestrian Safety Work Group |
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Because we can't really build our way out of traffic congestion, and because we need to solve our transportation and congestion problems by finding creative ways to use our existing transportation infrastructure more efficiently, transportation planning agencies are beginning to devote significant staff time and money to efforts to make that happen. On Monday, I talked about one such effort. The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, or SCCRTC, has instituted a "Commute Solutions" program. The SCCRTC has also established a "Pedestrian Safety Work Group." The focus of this group is to make sure that everyone pays attention to the value of safe and accessible sidewalks. Hard to believe isn't it? If we were walking more, we would be driving less. If we were driving less, we'd have a lot less traffic congestion. If you can't walk because there is no sidewalk, or because the sidewalk isn't safe, then there isn't even a chance that you will get out of your car when you need to get a half-gallon of milk at the local market. If you don't walk to the market when you could, lots of drivers will be stuck in the traffic on Mission Street in Santa Cruz, or on some other street, somewhere, here in the Central Coast Region. The Pedestrian Safety Work Group wants you to demand safe sidewalks in good condition. You may be hearing about it in the local media, and there is more information in today's transcript. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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Archives of past transcripts are available here
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