Last week, the Land Use Report spent a good bit of time commenting on key water issues in Monterey County. Monterey County residents who would like to pursue this topic should think about attending a LandWatch “Around The County” meeting on “Water Supply Alternatives for Monterey County.” The event is being held this evening, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Resort Hotel in Monterey. It’s open to the public, and free. You can find out more by tracking down the transcript for today’s Land Use Report.

By the way, if you do search out the written and audio transcripts for the Land Use Report, you’ll get an opportunity to use the spiffy new KUSP website. Try it out at www.kusp.org. It’s handsome! Click on the “Archives / Podcasts” tab at the top of the page to find the Land Use Report.

Now, here’s an item for Santa Cruz County residents. This coming Wednesday, the County Planning Commission will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in the County Government Center, and will consider noise impacts at the Ocean Honda dealership on Soquel Drive, the 2012 Growth Goal for Santa Cruz County and County Code changes relating to medical marijuana cooperatives. Again, there is more information on the KUSP website.

More Information:

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

LandWatch Website
http://www.landwatch.org

LandWatch Around The County Meetings
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/calendar.htm

Santa Cruz County Planning Commission, October 12, 2011 Agenda
http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/planning/plnmeetings/ASP/
Display/ASPX/DisplayAgenda.aspx?MeetingDate=10/12/2011&
MeetingType=1

The Santa Cruz City Council meets this afternoon and this evening at the Santa Cruz City Hall, located at 809 Center Street in downtown Santa Cruz. That is right across the street from the main Public Library. If you would like to attend the Council meeting, the afternoon session starts at 3:00 p.m. The evening session begins at 7:00 o’clock. Of course, you can also watch the Council on community television, but that’s not nearly so participatory! Here’s a sample of what’s in store this afternoon:

·       On the Consent Agenda, the Council will consider a proposal to appropriate an additional $100,000 to cover more legal and other expenses related to the implementation of the City’s Comprehensive Settlement Agreement with the University of California. It’s not clear from the staff report just what those expenses are. If you were at the meeting this afternoon, you could ask that rather pertinent question.

·       On the regular agenda, the Council will receive a report on a large residential development by KB Homes, located on Branciforte Drive, and will hear an appeal relating to a decision to cut down five distinctive heritage trees, located right on West Cliff Drive.

During their evening session, the Council will consider plans for a five-story building on Pacific Avenue. They are expected to approve it. Again, there is a lot going on in the City. If you show up, you can get involved!

More Information:

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

City of Santa Cruz City Council Agenda, October 11, 2011
http://64.175.136.240/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid
=210&doctype=AGENDA

Here’s some news from the legal front. As you probably know, a pretty big share of the toxic emissions that cause air pollution come from “indirect sources.” “Indirect sources” are typically new sprawling subdivisions, or big box stores, that “indirectly” generate emissions by encouraging an increase in vehicle use. Large “stationary sources,” like power plants, are under strict anti-pollution guidelines (though I must say those guidelines could be tightened up; I was disappointed when the Obama Administration decided not to proceed with new air pollution rules for certain stationary sources). Let’s focus today, however, on the problem of “indirect sources.” It is difficult to develop effective air pollution regulations that will reduce indirect source emissions. How do you do it?

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District adopted a rule requiring developers to pay fees to offset the air pollution caused by the new traffic generated by their projects. The National Association of Home Builders didn’t like that, and sued. The Home Builders lost at the District Court level, and again in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and about a week ago, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case, which means that there is now a rule in place that makes developers pay when they build projects that will have “indirect” air pollution impacts.

More Information:

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

San Jose Mercury Article, October 4, 2011
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_19032470

The United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is now seeking to help local communities solve some of their most difficult land use related problems. Specifically, the EPA is offering technical assistance under their “Sustainable Communities” program. One of the grant programs I am talking about is called “Smart Growth Implementation Assistance;” the other is called “Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities.” Both programs have asked local communities to provide the EPA with a “letter of interest” on or before October 28th. If any local government officials happen to be listening, you might want to explore this opportunity. Any other listener who thinks that a focus on “smart growth” would be beneficial might want to contact your local city council member, or your member of the county Board of Supervisors.

The EPA’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program focuses on projects like economic development for rural communities, resilience planning for natural hazards, and linking economic development to land use planning, using locally generated energy. The Building Blocks program provides targeted technical assistance to communities that face common development problems.  It employs a variety of tools such as improving pedestrian access and safety, zoning code reviews, and housing and transportation evaluations.

There is more information on the KUSP website.

More Information:

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

Website reference for more information on the SGIA program
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm

Or contact: Roberta Lane White, Management Analyst; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Sustainable Communities; Mail Code: 1807T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.; Washington, D.C. 20460.

Yesterday, I talked about technical assistance grants available from the U.S. EPA. Today, let me alert listeners to free technical advice available from Smart Growth America. Smart Growth America is a nonprofit group that helps local communities achieve their social equity goals through economically healthy and environmentally friendly development patterns.

Any unit or subdivision of local government is eligible to apply for this free assistance. Interested communities may choose from twelve tools for “smart growth,” and if selected, communities will receive a one or two-day workshop on the “smart growth” tool of their choice. The twelve technical assistance tools include: Implementing smart growth 101; Planning for economic and fiscal health; Regional planning for small communities; Sustainable land use code audit; Smart growth zoning codes for small cities; Complete streets; Walkability workshop; Transportation performance measurement; Parking audit; Implementing transit-oriented development 101; Cool planning: local strategies to slow climate change; and Using the LEED program to accelerate the development of sustainable communities.

The deadline for applications is October 26th. There is more information on the KUSP website.

More Information:

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

Smart Growth America Website
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/

Smart Growth America Technical Assistance
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/sc-tech-assistance