Listeners may or may not have heard about a type of land use regulation intended to support a property owner’s “right to farm.” I am going to explain the concept, but if you would like really to understand the idea, you should attend tomorrow’s meeting of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. At 3:00 p.m., the Board will be discussing proposed amendments to the current “right to farm” ordinance for Monterey County. That’s Agenda Item #15. A well test report for a major development proposal on San Benancio Road is Agenda Item 15.1.

A “right to farm” ordinance does not, actually, establish a “right to farm.” The basic zoning and land use regulations affecting specific agricultural properties grant that right. What a “right to farm” ordinance does is to provide notice to adjacent property owners, letting them know that farming operations will be taking place on the agricultural properties near them. The idea is to insulate farmers from nuisance lawsuits based on the noise, dust, pesticide use, and early and late agricultural operations that are all involved in farming.

I am all for a strong “right to farm” ordinance, but the best way to protect agriculture is to do what Santa Cruz County has done, and to say that the ONLY permitted use for prime agricultural land will be agriculture. No development on prime ag land. That really protects a “right to farm.”

More Information

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Board of Supervisors Agenda Website

The Santa Cruz City Council is meeting this afternoon and evening, and there are a couple of items that may be of interest, particularly if you happen to live in or have a business in the City of Santa Cruz, or if you get your water service from the City.

During the afternoon session that begins at 2:00 p.m., the Council will decide whether or not to join the so-called “Basin Implementation Group,” or BIG, currently comprised of representatives of the Soquel Creek Water District and the Central Water District. The City and the County have both been officially invited to join. The BIG is a collaborative effort, involving agencies that produce groundwater from the Soquel-Aptos Groundwater Management Area. The City of Santa Cruz does get a small amount of its water supply from that area, which is one reason for the City to join. In addition, this kind of collaboration could lead to cooperative efforts to deal with long-term water supply issues affecting all of North and Mid-County. Finally, the new state laws relating to groundwater management make clear that if local efforts don’t produce an acceptable plan for groundwater management, the state may come in and take control. Water issues are key to our community’s future. This is an important proposal.

At 7:00 p.m., the Council is going to talk about the future of the Municipal Wharf. Some major changes are being contemplated. If you care, you should get involved now!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• City Council Agenda, October 29, 2014
• Agenda Item #18 – Regional Groundwater Initiatives
• Agenda Item #2 (7:00 p.m. session) – Wharf Master Plan

UCSC has a Long Range Development Plan (or LRDP) more or less equivalent to a community “General Plan.” The LRDP sets out where development will be permitted, and outlines some of the conditions under which development will occur. Because the University of California is not subject to local land use regulations, neither the City nor the County General Plans apply. The LRDP is the defining document.

The current LRDP proposes something like 3.5 million square feet of new construction on the UCSC “North Campus” area, previously part of a “Natural Reserve.” Development plans have been stalled for some time, because the University has to get approval for an extension of City water onto the North Campus area, and that has not yet occurred, pending the completion of an Environmental Impact Report. As a full disclosure, listeners may remember that I have been representing the Community Water Coalition, which has been opposed to the UCSC water service extension.

Today, let me suggest you visit kusp.org/landuse, and find a link to a schedule of upcoming “Forest Walks.” A group called “Save Upper Campus” is providing tours of the affected area, so community members will know what the debate is all about. One Forest Walk begins at noon today. Other Walks are scheduled for November 1st, 2nd, 12th, and 15th. Other walks are scheduled beyond those dates.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Save Upper Campus Website
• Save Upper Campus – Forest Walk Schedule

The City of Watsonville is developing a Climate Action Plan. Global warming is a major threat to human civilization, and I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to characterize it that way. National and international efforts to do something about global warming have basically stalled out, and since there are actions at the local level that can make a difference, local governments are stepping up.

Let me talk about one impact of global warming you may not have thought about. As the planet gets warmer, sea levels rise. That is pretty well understood, and the most immediate and visible impact is obviously the encroachment of water onto what are now developed areas along the shoreline. The City of Santa Cruz (which has already adopted a Climate Action Plan) has maps that show that some of the City’s major tourist attractions will be underwater, if worst-case scenarios turn out to be accurate.

But the City of Watsonville is far from the shore. Pajaro Dunes has something to worry about, but it’s not in the city. However, as sea level rises, saltwater intrusion into coastal freshwater aquifers will increase. This happens out of sight, but the impact is very real. The Pajaro Valley and the City of Watsonville need to do what they can to stop global warming and sea level rise. Building a seawall won’t help. Maybe the City’s Climate Action Plan will.

For more information check kusp.org/landuse.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Santa Cruz County Climate Action Strategy
• City of Santa Cruz Climate Action Plan
• City of Watsonville DRAFT Climate Action Plan

The public review period on Watsonville’s draft Climate Action Plan will end on November 6, 2014. For more information, contact Suzi Merriam at the City. Telephone: 831-768-3074

Ken Gray, a former member of the Marina City Council, passed away on October 11th. He was a State Park employee for 36 years, serving as Senior Park and Recreation Specialist in Monterey County until his retirement in 2009. Ken was instrumental in efforts to establish the Fort Ord Dunes State Park. In 1998, Ken spearheaded an initiative effort in the City of Marina to establish an Urban Growth Boundary. 

As an environmental planner by training, Ken understood how important it can be for local communities to decide when (and where) to say "no" to development proposals that always promise money, jobs, and community opportunities. Our human intrusions into the World of Nature face no built in limits. We need to limit ourselves. How and where to do that are questions of great importance to the future of our local communities.

At a time when most community leaders in Marina thought it was “impossible” to establish an Urban Growth Boundary, to protect open space and agricultural lands, Ken believed it was worth a “try,” since the stakes were so high for his community. Ken Gray's willingness to "try" to establish the Urban Growth Boundary fundamentally changed the community life of Marina, because the success of Measure E, in the year 2000, let everyone see that community-based politics could literally change the world. 

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Monterey County Weekly Article on Ken Gray
• Two Worlds’ Tribute to Ken Gray