The Watsonville City Council will be meeting tomorrow evening, starting at 6:30. In general, I think it’s good for local residents to show up at the meetings held by their elected officials, if only to remind the officials that they are, in fact, “representatives,” accountable ultimately to the public. Attending meetings is also a good way for residents to get an idea of how the public’s business is being conducted.

Tomorrow, the City Council will mostly be addressing what might be considered “routine” items of business. The agenda packet for this rather routine meeting is 156 pages long (just to give you an idea). Within that 156-page stack of paper is the description of a project costing more than half a million dollars, to undertake restoration work in Watsonville Slough. The Council is also expected to approve $10,000 for the Watsonville Fly-In, and to set a Municipal Election for November 6th.

The most important land use item is a proposed ordinance relating to Watsonville’s Mobile Home Rent Control system. If approved by the Council, and then subsequently approved by the voters, a new ordinance would increase the administrative fees paid by mobilehome park residents, to build up a fund that will allow legal actions on behalf of mobilehome park residents, when those become necessary. Check out the materials in today’s Land Use Report blog, at kusp.org/landuse.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• City Council Agenda, July 10, 2012
• Watsonville City Website
• Agenda Item on Mobilehome Rent Control

The Coastal Commission will be meeting this week in scenic Chula Vista, right next door to San Diego. “Chula Vista” does mean “beautiful view,” by the way. While the Commission is meeting near San Diego, it will be considering items from all over California, including an item relating to Terrace Point in the City of Santa Cruz. That item will be heard on Friday, July 13th.

In the Coastal Zone, project level actions must be “consistent” with the adopted Local Coastal Program, or, in the case of the property owned by the University of California at Santa Cruz, located in the Coastal Zone, with the University’s certified Santa Cruz Coastal Long Range Development Plan. In this case, the University is seeking approval for a new parking program for Terrace Point, which is where the Seymour Marine Discovery Center is located. In essence, the University wants to charge visitors $1.50 per hour to park at Terrace Point, a fee similar to the fees charged near the City’s main beach, in the vicinity of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

The Coastal Commission staff says that this parking fee would be excessive, and would not be consistent with the applicable Coastal Long Range Development Plan. If you care about this, maybe you should send the Coastal Commission a comment before the vote. A link to the Commission staff report is provided in today’s Land Use Report blog, available at kusp.org/landuse.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Staff Report on Terrace Point Development Proposal
• Coastal Commission Agenda, July 2012 Meeting

Development of the former Fort Ord is governed by a “base reuse plan” adopted some time ago. The initial plan is now being reviewed and updated. The purpose of the reuse plan is to guide conversion of Fort Ord's 27,800 acres from an active military base to civilian use. The plan will have huge impacts on economic development, education, and environmental protection. Ultimately, the Board of Directors of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, or FORA, will make the final decisions.

A recent article in the Monterey County Herald makes clear that the public has not been universally thrilled about the update process. Critics complain that workshops have included only a limited time for public comment, and that these workshops have focused on FORA's past actions and accomplishments, rather than on a “looking forward” perspective. Critics are also saying that they want more time to comment, and the Herald says that Fort Ord Reuse Authority officials appear to be listening to that complaint. Steve Endsley, FORA's assistant executive director, has promised more community workshops this fall. According to Endsley, “there are going to be many bites at the apple."

I encourage KUSP listeners to get involved now. Public comments can be submitted to FORA at any time during the review process. Incidentally, the FORA Board will meet this coming Friday. There is more information at kusp.org/landuse.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Monterey County Herald Article on FORA Planning
• Fort Ord Reuse Authority Website (My Browser Says This Website is Infected)
• Keep Fort Ord Wild Website

Here’s a “heads up” on a major transportation planning issue; namely, a proposal to widen Highway 156. Highway 156 runs between Highway 101 and the Monterey Peninsula. During peak visiting periods, the traffic on Highway 156 looks a lot like the summer beach traffic on Highway 17 in Santa Cruz County. Highway 156 is also a “local access” road for residents of the Prunedale area.

Serious consideration is being given to the idea of financing the widening of Highway 156 by turning it into a “toll road.” According to the Monterey County Herald, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has conducted a survey that indicates that visitors might be willing to pay a five-dollar, one-way toll. Local residents in Prunedale would, presumably, not have to pay this toll just to go buy a half-gallon of milk.

A respected planner, who happens to live in Prunedale, Mary Tsui, has responded to the Herald news story in an opinion piece published on Friday, July 6th. There’s a link in today’s Land Use Report blog. I must say that she makes a pretty good case, in my view, that widening Highway 156 would be “futile.” That’s the word used in the headline for her article. She also says the proposal would be “dangerous and cost you money.”

As I say, this item is a “heads up.” Now is the time to start getting informed, and getting involved.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Monterey County Herald article on Highway 156 Toll Road proposal
• Widening Highway 156 Would Be Futile – Op Ed by Mary Tsui

On Wednesday, I alerted KUSP listeners to planning efforts now underway with respect to the future of Fort Ord. What happens on Fort Ord will have a major impact on the future of Monterey County, and on the Monterey Peninsula, in particular. One of the groups most actively involved has been Keep Fort Ord Wild. That group says that one part of its mission is to support the “sensible, economically viable, redevelopment of the extensive blight within the urban footprint of the former Army base.” That said, however, Keep Fort Ord Wild has been arguing for conservation of existing undeveloped open space for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

Recently, I got a bulletin that was headlined: “Keep Fort Ord Wild Comes to Carmel Valley.” This bulletin is advertising a meeting scheduled for next Wednesday, July 18th. Let me pass on the invite. I know that KUSP listeners would be welcome at the event.

The meeting is going to be held at Hidden Valley Music Seminars, located at 88 West Carmel Valley Road, in Carmel Valley, starting at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday. The meeting is being hosted by Sustainable Carmel Valley. Chris Mack, a spokesperson for Keep Fort Ord Wild, is going to be making an informative presentation, and will then lead a discussion on how to preserve the unique resources located on the Fort Ord lands. Find out more next Wednesday.

More Information:

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Citizens for Sustainable Marina Website
• Keep Fort Ord Wild Website
• For more information on the July 18th event, call 831-624-9467.
• Fort Ord Reuse Authority Website (This Website Is Infected, According To My Browser)