It would be hard to overstate the importance of affordable housing as a land use issue. It has become ever more difficult for persons with an average, or below average, income to find housing at a price they can afford. If you care about this issue, you will probably be interested in an item that appears on tomorrow’s agenda of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

Agenda Item #50, which will probably be heard by the Board at around 10:00 o’clock tomorrow morning, is a follow up to an earlier Board discussion. On February 10th, the Board took testimony and considered a staff report suggesting lots of changes to the County’s current affordable housing program, some of them quite consequential.

The staff report on the agenda tomorrow is the staff’s attempt to characterize what they thought the Board would like to see, by way of final action. I have a link to the staff report in today’s transcript, so you can review what now is “on the table” by way of proposed changes. Since the item on tomorrow’s agenda is a continued public hearing, it’s not too late for you to chime in with your thoughts.

One of the issues under discussion is whether the developers of five or more units should be required actually to construct affordable units as part of their development, or whether the developers will simply be able to pay a fee, and make County government responsible for turning money into real affordable housing.

More Information

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Staff Report on Proposed Affordable Housing Program Changes
• Link To February 10, 2015 Land Use Report
• February 10, 2015 Staff Report

As I mentioned yesterday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is addressing affordable housing issues at today’s Board meeting. The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. at the County Governmental Center, at 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. My best guess is that the Board will start hearing Agenda Item #50, the affordable housing item, at about 10:00 o’clock this morning. I am definitely encouraging listeners to get engaged in the affordable housing issues that the Board is addressing. It’s hard to think of a more important topic for the future of our local community.

In fact, Agenda Item #50 isn’t the only item on today’s agenda that relates to affordable housing. If you track down today’s transcript, at kusp.org/landuse, you will find a link to Agenda Item #29. That agenda item is on the “Consent Agenda,” so no public hearing is involved, but I encourage you to read the item, and make some notes.

Agenda Item #29 outlines a proposed “public participation strategy” and “timeline” for a required revision of the Housing Element to the County’s General Plan. Remember, a community’s General Plan is its “Constitution for land use,” and the basic policy approaches taken by Santa Cruz County will be determined by the County’s Housing Element.

Initial public workshops are most likely going to be held in March. Final revisions must be complete by December of this year.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Staff Report on Housing Element Update on February 24, 2015 Agenda
• Staff Report on Proposed Affordable Housing Program Changes
• Link To February 10, 2015 Land Use Report
• February 10, 2015 Staff Report

Environmental author and activist Bill McKibben will be speaking at UCSC tomorrow, February 26th. You are definitely invited! McKibben will be presenting the annual Right Livelihood Lecture at the Common Ground Center, located at Kresge College. The presentation will begin at 2:00 o’clock tomorrow afternoon, and go for about an hour.

Following McKibben’s talk, participants will be invited to take part in a series of exercises, inspired by Joanna Macy’s “Work That Reconnects.” “World Café” conversations, and a free dinner prepared by India Joze, are also part of the package. You can get more information by pointing your browser to kusp.org/landuse, and tracking down today’s Land Use Report transcript.

Bill McKibben’s 1989 book, The End of Nature, is considered to be the first book about global warming and climate change aimed at a general audience. He is a founder of 350.org, which is a planet-wide, grassroots climate change movement. 350.org is named for the safe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, 350 parts per million.

Bill was recognized in 2014 by the Right Livelihood Award, sometimes known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, which was given to recognize McKibben’s leadership “to counter the threat of global climate change.”

Think about coming to see Bill McKibben tomorrow!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Common Ground Center
• Facebook Event Page – McKibben Talk
• Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects
• The “World Café” Method
• The End of Nature
• 350.org
• For more information contact David Shaw at: daveshawlistens@gmail.com

As previously noted, Fort Ord planning efforts are now underway. The Fort Ord Reuse Authority has hired consultants to develop “Regional Urban Design Guidelines.” According to reports, some 1,200 people have become involved in the planning efforts so far. You can still weigh in, if you have a mind to participate. Check kusp.org/landuse for more information.

It appears that if you sign up to be part of the process, the consultant group will then ask for your “vote” on particular ideas or concepts. I did sign up, and was asked to vote on “what kinds of transportation options should be emphasized within the former Fort Ord.” On the list were “cars,” “public transit,” “walkability improvements,” “cycling amenities,” “horses,” and a request for “any others.” One commenter promptly said “runners.”

I think that planning that is based on community participation and community goal setting (even over the Internet) is a lot better than the kind of planning that occurs only when landowners and developers have a particular project in mind. It is true, however, that the current planning effort is based on the thought that “urban” development is going to be at the center of future land uses on the former Fort Ord. That might not, in fact, be the “best use” of these lands, particularly since so much of the former Fort Ord is in public ownership. If you care, get involved!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• February 19, 2015 Land Use Report – Designs on Fort Ord
• Monterey Herald Article On Fort Ord Planning Efforts
• Keep Fort Ord Wild Website
• Fort Ord Reuse Authority Website
• Fort Ord Regional Urban Design Guidelines
• Sign Up To Participate
• Cast Your Vote!

Should the former Coast Dairies property be designated as a National Monument? The Coast Dairies property is about 5,800 acres in extent, and is located on the Santa Cruz County North Coast. It is already in public ownership, under the stewardship of the Bureau of Land Management. BLM also has responsibility for a large part of the former Fort Ord, and Fort Ord, of course, has already been declared to be a National Monument.

National Monument status is not conferred by popular vote. The President gets to say what lands should become National Monuments. You can read the Presidential Proclamation that conferred National Monument status on Fort Ord by visiting kusp.org/landuse.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about designating the Santa Cruz County North Coast as a National Monument. No money comes with the designation. Just lots of visitors! 400,000 annual visitors is a figure being suggested as a realistic estimate. Where do they park? How do they get there, and would such a designation actually turn land already protected into what amounts to a nationally advertised resort destination? Will Davenport turn into a hotel/resort gateway? Could the natural resource values of the North Coast actually be compromised, not protected, by the Monument designation?

These are all worthy questions. Robust public discussion and participation is advised!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• February 12, 2015 Land Use Report – A Monumental Opportunity
• Santa Cruz Redwoods National Monument Campaign
• Fort Ord National Monument Website
• April 20, 2012 Presidential Proclamation Naming Fort Ord