The Monterey County LAFCO, or Local Agency Formation Commission, will meet this afternoon at 4:00 o'clock. LAFCO meets in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in the Monterey County Governmental Center, 168 West Alisal Street, in Salinas.

Of course, LAFCO meetings are public, and I encourage you to show up to listen and learn. The important role that LAFCO plays in the future growth and development of our local communities can hardly be overstated. In today's transcript, I am not only providing a link to the Agenda Packet for today's meeting of the Monterey County LAFCO, but am also providing a link to the website of the California Association of LAFCOs. If you would like to do a little research on LAFCO, check out the informational items available on the CALAFCO website. I see, by the way, that Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold is actually the Vice President of the Board of Directors of this statewide group.

Now, for the real reason I'm suggesting that today's LAFCO meeting would be a good one to attend. When you look inside the LAFCO Agenda Packet, you will find some materials on the proposed economic development plans of the City of Salinas. From the maps in the packet, it looks to me like a lot of development on prime farmlands is being suggested. There will be an actual presentation by the City. Think about taking in that meeting this afternoon!

More Information

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton's Two Worlds Blog
• CALAFCO Website
• Monterey County LAFCO Website
• Monterey County LAFCO Agenda Packet for April 28, 2014 Meeting

The Soquel Creek Water District provides water to Capitola, Aptos, La Selva Beach, Opal Cliffs, Rio Del Mar, Seascape, and Soquel. That's a big area, and the District is trying to get the word out about current conditions of groundwater overdraft. Simply put, the District needs to reduce groundwater pumping, or seawater intrusion will contaminate its groundwater supplies.

Tonight, the Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors will reevaluate whether or not to provide conditional will-serve letters to applicants seeking to build or remodel their property. Without a "will-serve" letter from a water agency, land use approval agencies, like the Santa Cruz County Planning Department, simply won't process a proposed development application. The Twin Lakes Church has had their application for a school expansion placed on hold, because they haven't been able to get a will-serve letter. Others have also been affected. Lots of people are upset.

The meeting tonight starts at 7:00 p.m. It will be held at the Seascape Resort in Aptos. The Board welcomes community input, and will not only consider the will-serve question, but will also discuss a recent community survey. The District wants to find out what the community thinks about water conservation, and about different methods of obtaining more water.

On June 3rd, the District will hold a public hearing and consider a formal declaration of a groundwater emergency and moratorium.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton's Two Worlds Blog
• Soquel Creek Water District Meeting Announcement
• Soquel Creek Agenda Packets and Minutes
• Twin Lakes Church Website
• Times Publishing Group Article on "de facto moratorium"
• KSBW – Twin Lakes Church In Water War

Perhaps you attended last night's public meeting of the Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors. Or, you may be reading about the meeting online or in today's newspaper. It was an important meeting for the District. As I pointed yesterday, the meeting last night focused on a couple of very important issues that the District Board of Directors is dealing with right now. Let me also repeat my "heads up" advice of yesterday. If you are a District customer, you should be aware that the District is currently planning to hold a public hearing on June 3rd to discuss whether or not to declare an official groundwater emergency. If the District does that it will almost certainly mean an official water hookup moratorium, as well.

If you would like to begin engaging with the serious practical and policy issues facing the Soquel Creek Water District, and all of its customers, you might want to break free for a luncheon presentation, today, sponsored by the Santa Cruz County League of Women Voters.

The luncheon will run from 12:00 noon till 2:00 p.m., and will take place at the offices of the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, located at 7807 Soquel Drive in Aptos. No charge for admission, but you should bring your own lunch.

At the League of Women Voters' meeting today, Kim Adamson, the General Manager of the Soquel Creek Water District will talk on "Prospects and Problems Facing The Soquel Creek Water District."

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton's Two Worlds Blog
• Event Flyer – League Luncheon on April 30th.
• Soquel Creek Agenda Packets and Minutes

This evening, the City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission will be conducting a Community Workshop on Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs. The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers, located at 809 Center Street. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

The purpose of the workshop this evening is to receive input from interested persons, including but not limited to property owners, tenants, property managers, and neighbors. The Commission is considering some potential code amendments to the City's Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance and Multi-family residential ordinance standards. ADUs can provide affordable housing opportunities, but ADUs can also cause neighborhood problems.

If you are a property owner who has developed an ADU and have concerns or comments about the ADU ordinance, think about heading down to City Hall this evening. The Commission wants to know what helped or hindered those property owners who have developed an ADU. If you are a tenant in an ADU, or a neighbor to an ADU, the Commission would also like to hear your comments and concerns. How do the current standards affect you? How would possible changes work for you? Is the Planning Commission helping or hindering the development of residential units or the saving of residential units?

From the input they receive this evening, planning staff and the Planning Commission will prepare proposed code amendments for City Council consideration.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton's Two Worlds Blog
• Planning Commission Agenda – May 1, 2014
• City Code Provisions – See Section 24.16.100ff

As spring advances, and as summer-type weather becomes ever more likely, in this dry time of drought and global warming, let me recommend a couple of outdoor-type activities. First (and I may be getting you the word too late), the Elkhorn Slough Foundation is sponsoring a "Sketching at the Slough" expedition to take place this coming Sunday, May 4th. This event is for artists, and there is a modest fee. There is more information at kusp.org/landuse. If you are interested, you need to act immediately.

Second, the Carmel Valley Garden Association is presenting its 45th Annual Garden Show this weekend. The free show, titled "Under the Valley Sun," will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd and 4th, at Hidden Valley Music Seminars, 88 West Carmel Valley Road, at Ford Road, in Carmel Valley. 

The Garden Association event is a professionally judged flower show. The accredited judging of the cut flowers, floral arrangements and container plants has long been a draw for both entrants and their admirers, but there are also plant sales, vendors, a children's garden, original art, and speakers. For instance, at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Janna Jo Williams and Sarah LaCasse from Earthbound Farm will speak on growing and cooking herbs.

The event draws people from all over. A nice excursion into Carmel Valley is bound to be a treat.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton's Two Worlds Blog
• Sketching At The Slough Signup
• Carmel Valley Garden Association