This Quarter, I am pinch-hitting for a UCSC professor who is teaching at another school, and I am shepherding a class of UCSC undergraduates through the intricacies of “Environmental Law and Policy.” The Environmental Law and Policy course is jointly offered by the Environmental Studies Department and the Legal Studies Department at UCSC. Teaching the course is proving to be a lot of fun (not to mention a lot of work). I am impressed with the earnest efforts that the students are making to try to understand the rather complicated legal system we have devised to help us protect and preserve the natural environment, and to protect human health.

One of the chapters we have covered in the textbook is called “Stop And Think.” This is the chapter that outlines the operations of the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, and (to a lesser degree) the California Environmental Policy Act, or CEQA. One of the benefits of these “environmental” laws is that they do force governmental agencies to think before they act. But, of course, that is only when the governmental agencies actually follow the law. The Santa Cruz City Council has recently approved a rather risky investment in a new basketball arena, and has done so in a way that tries to avoid CEQA review with respect to initial construction. You can read the details in links available below.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Santa Cruz City Council Agenda, May 22, 2012 (See Agenda Item #24 For The Sports Arena Item)
• Textbook: Environmental Law and Policy: Nature, Law, and Society

“Pacific Cove” is a mobilehome park located in the City of Capitola. The mobilehome park suffered extensive flood damage last year, and the City has decided that it will need to close the park. On May 12th, the City held a workshop at Pacific Cove. According to the City, most workshop participants felt that Capitola should:

• Use the Pacific Cove/City Hall site to provide a parking solution for Capitola Village;
• Provide temporary surface parking to serve the Village in the Mobile Home Park area;
• Develop a plan to convert Pacific Cove to a park/recreational/natural open space area;
• Improve pedestrian circulation and connections within the site; and
• Phase improvements in a way that prioritize a long-term parking solution for the Village.

The City has also identified a number of outstanding questions, including the following:

• Should all or just a portion of the park be used for temporary parking?
• What is the long-term vision for the portion of the site that fronts Capitola Avenue?
• What is the vision for the Monterey Avenue frontage and the eastern end of the park?

If you have opinions about the future of Pacific Cove it is not too late to share them with the City. You can find an email link in today’s transcript. In addition, the Capitola General Plan Advisory Committee will meet at 6:00 p.m. on June 20th at City Hall to discuss their vision for the future of the Pacific Cove/City Hall site.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Pacific Cove Website
• Santa Cruz Sentinel News Story on Future of Pacific Cove
• Capitola-Soquel Patch News Story on Pacific Cove Closure
• City of Capitola Website
• Plan Capitola Web Page
• Make comments to Susan Westman, Interim Community Director, at swestman@ci.capitola.ca.us

I am impressed with an environmental organization called “SkyTruth.” SkyTruth’s mission is to motivate and empower new constituencies for environmental protection, by using scientifically credible satellite images and other visual technologies to create compelling pictures that vividly illustrate environmental impacts. SkyTruth provides these pictures and supporting data to environmental advocates, the media, and the public. The stunning images that SkyTruth makes available, backed by scientifically robust information, are intended to stimulate changes in habitat protection, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management. SkyTruth conducts its projects in close partnership with other environmental groups, and with local planners and resource managers, to complement the work that these organizations and agencies undertake on a broad spectrum of environmental issues. I have placed a link to the SkyTruth website below.

Because I subscribe to the SkyTruth blog, I recently found out that the U.S. Geological Survey is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Landsat program by sponsoring a contest, open to all U.S. citizens, called “My American Landscape: A Space Chronicle of Change.” Find out more from the link in today’s transcript.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Landsat Contest Information
• Landsat Press Announcement
• The Skytruth Website

Recently, I heard from a concerned resident in my own neighborhood (which is on the East Side of the City of Santa Cruz, in the Branciforte Avenue/Water Street area). I was contacted not as a commentator on land use issues, or as an attorney, but simply as a local resident. The City of Santa Cruz is getting close to adopting a new 2030 General Plan, and the person who contacted me is helping to make residents in his neighborhood know that this new General Plan, if adopted in its current form, could mean big changes to the Branciforte Avenue and Water Street neighborhoods. In short, a very significant increase in density is being recommended.

I was delighted to hear from a neighbor on these issues, because (as I frequently comment on the Land Use Report) the General Plan is a blueprint that will affect future development for years to come. Most land use issues are very much “local” issues, and even “neighborhood” issues, so if you want to get involved in land use policy and project level decision-making, getting organized right in your own home territory is always a good idea.

If you either support or oppose more density on the Santa Cruz Eastside, I encourage you to get involved now. The residents of other neighborhoods might want to check out what the new General Plan would mean for them, too. It’s not too late to be heard! There is a link belowt.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Contact Email For Neighbors Organizing Against Higher Density on the Santa Cruz Eastside: mfinmansurf@gmail.com
• City of Santa Cruz 2030 General Plan Information

From 4:30 to midnight – and I do mean this afternoon and evening - there is going to be a big party out at the Tannery Arts Center, located at the site of the former Salz Tannery, 1000 River Street, in Santa Cruz. The party continues on tomorrow, as well, and the public is invited. There will be live music, performances, art demonstrations, open studios, exhibits, and lots of family activities. There is even going to be a Tannery scavenger hunt. I am hoping to attend personally, and I definitely encourage KUSP listeners to program a visit into their schedules, and particularly if you haven’t been out to the Tannery Arts Center before.

Most land use and development projects are completely private developments, financed with private capital, and envisioned and carried through by private parties. The public, of course, gets to weigh in on the shape and character of new developments though the environmental and project review process, but the usual public role is to comment, not initiate. In the case of the Tannery Arts Center, which is a mixed-use project featuring both residential uses and arts business uses, the public was deeply involved through public investment. The project would not exist were it not for the direct participation of both City and County government.

You are invited to the festivities! There is more information below.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Tannery Arts Center Website
• Grand Open Event Program on Facebook