If you want to be informed about what’s going on with Monterey County government, I’d suggest that you get on Supervisor Jane Parker’s email list. There is a link to Supervisor Parker’s website in today’s transcript.

Supervisor Parker’s Report for December tells County residents that they should “Get Ready for a Busy January!” On January 10th, the Board will likely give final approval to the proposed Corral de Tierra Shopping Center. It would be located at the intersection of Highway 68 and Corral de Tierra, and Supervisor Parker correctly notes that “there are significant concerns about the project’s impacts on traffic, the amount of water it will require, conflicts with area zoning ordinances, and MTBE contamination left on the site from the previous occupant.”

On January 24th, the Board will decide whether to rescind its previous approval of the Whispering Oaks Business Park and bus maintenance yard. Citizen organizations collected nearly 18,000 signatures in less than 30 days to challenge the Board’s approval of the project, which would result in the destruction of 3,000-4,000 oak trees. The Board has multiple options for its action on January 24th, and whatever the Board does, the project may well be brought back at a later date in a modified form.

I think Supervisor Parker is correct. There is a “busy January” ahead!

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• Jane Parker’s Supervisor Website
• The Parker Report

I am personally concerned about the impacts that climate change will have on both the natural environment and on human civilization. To use a buzzword from my youth, the impacts will be “non trivial,” in my opinion. In fact, to call these impacts “non-trivial” is a massive understatement.

If you are interested in climate change issues, you might want to investigate the “Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange” website. The acronym, if you didn’t immediately get it, is “CAKE.” It’s a joint project of Island Press and EcoAdapt. The CAKE website takes global warming for granted, and focuses its attention on how we can adapt to it. That kind of approach, however “realistic,” does rub me the wrong way, since the premise is that humans should be working to “adapt” to the adverse changes to global climate that we are causing ourselves. I tend to think that we need to focus the bulk of our attention on how to stop causing the adverse impacts associated with climate change, instead of simply “adapting” to the adversities that we ourselves are creating.

That philosophical point aside, human-caused climate change is putting both the natural environment and our human civilization at risk, and there are things we that can probably do to reduce both kinds of impacts through adaptive strategies. The CAKE website is a great resource, and you can get the reference in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• CAKE Website
• Climate Change Handbook For Regional Water Planning
• Island Press
• EcoAdapt
• 350.org

The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County is co-sponsoring a Santa Cruz County Data Mapping Project. Next month, they will be holding a workshop to explain how nonprofit, public agency, and private sector organizations can use “data mapping” techniques to improve their delivery of services to the local community. The workshop is free (though you do need to register in advance). It will be held on Tuesday, January 31st. There is more information in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

“Data mapping” uses GIS, or “Geographic Information Systems” techniques to help improve the delivery of social services. GIS tools are very commonly used in relation to land use policy and project decision making, and my frequently repeated statement that our land use policies not only affect the natural environment, and the local economy, but also affect our ability to achieve our social equity goals, will undoubtedly be graphically demonstrated at the January 31st workshop.

If I were a young person, thinking ahead about possible career options, I would think very seriously about getting into the GIS field. I have put a link to the GreenInfo website in today’s transcript. GreenInfo is a kind of nonprofit “business” that is based on using GIS techniques to achieve social, economic, and environmental goals.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• January 31, 2012 Workshop Announcement
• GreenInfo Website

There aren’t lots of meetings this week, between Christmas and New Year’s, but there are many meetings coming up next year. Here are a few “mark your calendar” items, so you can plan ahead.

Most listeners aren’t so dedicated to land use policy issues that they want to traipse all over the state, taking in workshops and conferences that focus on land use topics. Some people out there, though, probably would appreciate knowing about such upcoming events. Here, then, are two upcoming conferences that should be good.

On January 28th, in Sacramento, the Planning and Conservation League will hold its annual Legislative Symposium. The theme is “Think Small: Local Solutions To Protect Our Environment, Strengthen Our Communities, and Rebuild Our Economy.” On February 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, the New Partners For Smart Growth will hold a meeting in San Diego, focusing on how to build “safe, healthy, and livable communities.”

In terms of local meetings, I want to remind listeners about the next workshop scheduled on the Watsonville General Plan revision. It will be held on Wednesday, January 18th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room. On the agenda will be all the most important General Plan issues, including an explanation of the EIR and General Plan Update process. Links to more information, as usual, can be found in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• New Partners For Smart Growth Conference
• PCL Symposium
• Current City of Watsonville 2005 General Plan
• City of Watsonville 2030 General Plan

The Local Government Commission, or LGC, was created during Governor Brown’s first term as Governor as the “Local Government Commission on Energy Conservation and Renewable Resources.” I was a charter member, and later served as the statewide president. By that time, the LGC had become a nonprofit organization, as it is today. The LGC helps make local government officials effective at the state level, on land use and related issues. If there are local officials listening in who are not aware of the LGC, I hope they will check it out.

Today’s transcript has a link to an extremely interesting article, published by the LGC in its latest “Livable Communities Update.” Citing a recent publication by the Urban Land Institute, the LGC is predicting a "tsunami of change" in the retail industry. This will have profound impacts on local land use. Those who have been focusing on keeping downtown Santa Cruz vital should really read the article.

Retail stores are rapidly losing market share to online purchases, and 15 to 29 year olds are now making virtually all of their retail purchases on the internet. According to the LGC, a city wooing a new mall or big box store may not be making a good investment decision. Hunt down out this article; it really is interesting!   

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s blog: Two Worlds / 365
• Local Government Commission Website
• The LGC Livable Communities Update, December 2011