Bert Muhly sold me fair trade coffee. He fed me crab cakes. He established the basic foundation for the land use plans that have helped preserve and protect the natural environment of Santa Cruz County. Bert persuaded a reluctant City Council to support the creation of the Louden Nelson Community Center. He inspired a couple of generations of planning students. He – and his equally wonderful wife and partner, Lois Muhly – have inspired me, during the entire forty years that I have been active in public life in Santa Cruz County.

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I learned that Bert Muhly died last Friday. He was 88 years old, and he was a great person.

My thanks to Bert Muhly for his life of committed involvement – for his work on behalf of the community in which he lived, and on behalf the good causes to which he gave his allegiance, including his consistent advocacy for decency in United States’ foreign policy. I hope that many of you who are listening this morning knew Bert Muhly personally, because if you did know Bert, you got a double benefit. Everyone in the Monterey Bay region benefited from his leadership, advocacy, and actions. But those who knew him personally have been able to rejoice with Bert and Lois in person, throughout the years, two truly “happy warriors” for so many good causes!

My love, and my appreciation to you, Bert Muhly.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• Sentinel Article on Bert Muhly
• Wikipedia Article on Bert Muhly

This is Christmas week, and not too many City Councils or Boards of Supervisors are holding meetings. What a dilemma! Where could I send you, if you were even willing to go there? Well, I could send you to a meeting of the Monterey City Council, being held today from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. There are a few interesting items on the agenda, including an appeal from the Planning Commission’s approval of a Use Permit for the demolition of an existing commercial building and the construction of a new Fresh and Easy grocery store at 2020 Del Monte Avenue.

The Council last heard this item on December 6th, and continued the item to today’s meeting. When I saw that, I thought this might benefit the applicant, to the degree that any members of the public might want to oppose the application, or demand stronger conditions on traffic and other issues. With all that holiday shopping still to do, and with family back in town, and house cleaning and other chores making their just demands upon our time … Well, Christmas week is just not when public participation peaks.

If you want to testify on the Fresh and Easy grocery store application, in either support or opposition, that item is on the Monterey City Council agenda this afternoon. But it also seems likely that the item is going to be continued, so plan to attend the Council meeting on January 3rd, and testify then. In the meantime, I’ve put links to information on the proposal in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• Monterey City Council Agenda, December 20, 2011
• Staff Report, Agenda Item #13 – Fresh & Easy Use Permit
• Staff Report – Fresh & Easy Use Permit from December 6, 2011 Meeting

Informed participation in governmental decision-making is the sina qua non of democracy. We can’t have democratic self-government unless we are willing to get involved ourselves.

It is also true that “knowledge is power,” and our participation in government is much advanced by our willingness to get informed on the issues, including the rules, and regulations, and policies that govern our land use and permitting system. I don’t think we can really get what we want (either as individuals, and certainly not as a community) unless we are willing to become personally informed, as well as involved. I also want to tell you that getting engaged in land use decision making is not only good for you (and for us), it’s a lot of fun, too. The best way to do it is by joining up with some group that is working on issues you care about. It could be the Sierra Club, or the Downtown Association, or Friends, Artists and Neighbors of Elkhorn Slough; or LandWatch Monterey County; or the Chamber of Commerce.

I also want to put in a pitch for some online resources that you might think are only for the “experts;” namely, the LegInfo website that gives you information on existing laws, and on legislative proposals, and on the California Courts website, that lets you read Court opinions. I have put links in today’s transcript, including a link to a recent opinion that talks about “takings” law, always an interesting subject.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• The LegInfo Website
• The California Courts Website
• Recent Opinion: Avenida San Juan Partnership v. City of San Clemente

As I said yesterday, I don’t think that legal matters should be considered to be in the realm of the experts only. Check out that LegInfo website I mentioned to get informed directly. If you do send your browser to LegInfo, why not track down Assembly Bill Number 441? This is a bill introduced into the Legislature by Assembly Member Bill Monning, who represents the Monterey Bay Region in the California State Assembly, and who will be trying to move to the State Senate in the election held next November. AB 441 is well worth a look. Land use policies (at either the state or local level) can often have impacts on other areas of our life. Land use policy isn’t only about development.

Existing law authorizes the California Transportation Commission, in cooperation with regional agencies, to prescribe guidelines for the preparation of regional transportation plans. Assembly Member Monning’s bill would require the Commission to include health issues in the guidelines. AB 441 would also require the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research to develop guidelines that will help local and regional agencies incorporate health issues into local or regional general plans.

That’s right: land use planning can affect your health. Assembly Member Monning wants to make that fact front and center, as local planning decisions are made.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• The LegInfo Website
• Capital Public Radio Segment on Bill Monning’s AB 441
• Text of Current Version of AB 441

This is a good time to say “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” “Happy Holidays” to everyone.

Speaking of the New Year, I am reliably informed that land use and planning issues will continue profoundly to impact our local economy, our natural environment, and our ability to attain our social equity goals.

You know what I think your New Year’s Resolution should be! You got it. Make 2012 a year in which you get personally involved in the land use decisions that will affect all of us around the Monterey Bay.

Many of you would probably rather play golf than go to a governmental meeting. If you care about golf, though, do you care about the future of the Poppy Hills Golf Course? That’s located in Pebble Beach for those not of the golfing persuasion. On January 12th of next year, the comment period closes on an Initial Study prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act on the proposed renovation of the Poppy Hills Golf Course, to include: the installation of new irrigation lines; new programming and timing devices, in conjunction with sand-capping the existing golf course; changes to the driving range and practice putting green to improve water conservation and drainage; and changes to the alignment of specific holes to reduce irrigation. 61,000 cubic yards of grading and the removal of 533 trees is part of the proposed project.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365