Tomorrow, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will consider a report outlining complaints about the “unscenic” qualities of the black plastic fencing often used along roads next to agricultural fields. Such fencing helps prevent crop contamination, but this fencing is often not that beautiful! The report outlines a proposal that the county staff hopes will make things better. Public hearings before the Agricultural Policy Advisory Commission and the Planning Commission will be held before the Board takes official action later this year.

Item #35, a public hearing scheduled first thing tomorrow morning, is a big item for Bonny Doon. The watchword for Bonny Doon has always been to “Keep Bonny Doon Rural!” Recently, County staff and the Planning Commission have said that it’s OK for one Bonny Doon resident to use her residentially-zoned home to host major wedding events, busing people in for the weddings. So far, the County’s position is that this is a “home occupation.” The Board of Supervisors will decide tomorrow if that’s appropriate.

One problem is equal treatment. If one home in Bonny Doon can be turned into an event center, others presumably can, as well, and if holding major events in your home can qualify as a “home occupation,” that could change the character of the community.

More Information

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• March 17, 2015 Agenda – Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors
• Agenda Item #35 – Home Occupations in Bonny Doon
• Agenda Item #23 – Agricultural Fencing

There is a longstanding association between “land use” and “planning.” For instance, it is typical for the local government agency that regulates land use to be called the “Planning Department.” To my mind, there is a kind of “philosophical” reason for this association. How we use the land is of critical importance, and we implicitly recognize that we do need to “plan” ahead, if we hope to guide land use policy and project decisions in the right direction. If we didn’t put a priority on “planning,” we might end up with a series of individual land use decisions that could result in a land use disaster. The kind of sprawling growth that used to typify California is a good example of land use without planning!

“Planning,” in general, is called for when we deeply care about something, and when the stakes are high. If you care about the future of Elkhorn Slough, then you should care about the Reserve Management Plan that is under development right now. Tonight, there is a meeting at 7:00 p.m., at the Scuola Building in Castroville, at 10700 Merritt Street, to solicit public input on a long-term plan for the future of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.

There is more information at kusp.org/landuse. Let’s be sure to do a good plan for this incredible environmental treasure!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Information From Slough Buzz

Some acronyms roll off the tongue: “CSAC,” for instance, standing for the California State Association of Counties. That acronym is crisp, and clear, and easy to say. In fact, the acronym was deemed more important than the name of the group, when the group changed its name about thirty-five years ago. CSAC’s former name was the County Supervisors Association of California. When the decision was made to emphasize “counties,” instead of “supervisors,” the new name had to conform to the existing acronym. There is a different name, now, but that acronym CSAC never changed.

Unfortunately, the acronym for the City of Santa Cruz Water Supply Advisory Committee is not so crisp and clear. You can call it “WSAC,” or “W-SAC,” but however you say it, the Water Supply Advisory Committee is an important group. The group meets today, at 5:00 p.m., at the Peace United Church, located at 900 High Street in Santa Cruz. You are definitely invited, and I think that this meeting is going to be an important one, as the group starts looking at what sort of long-term water supply alternatives should be recommended to the City Council.

This is the group established by the City Council when the Council decided to “reset” its decision on desalination. I have placed a link to the WSAC website at kusp.org/landuse.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• WSAC Website
• March 18, 2015 Meeting Materials

I mentioned Monday that Santa Cruz County is reviewing the standards for agricultural fencing along county roadways, better to reconcile aesthetic concerns with the need to protect crops from contamination. The crop contamination issues are real, and to protect its vibrant agricultural economy, the County will need to find a way to give farmers the tools required to make their crops commercially marketable. On the other hand, torn and tattered shards of black plastic, placed along the scenic roadways of Santa Cruz County, aren’t very appealing. The key to a successful set of regulations has to be balance!

As it turns out, the County Planning Department is undertaking a wholesale revision of the County’s zoning code, and has focused quite a bit of attention on other regulations that relate to agriculture and agricultural operations. At least on the face of it, the changes being proposed are intended to assist farmers and the owners of agricultural lands, and to support activities, like farm stand sales, that can boost the economic success of agriculture in Santa Cruz County.

I have heard from listeners who are concerned, who asked me to highlight the issue. In today’s Land Use Report blog, I have a link to the most current staff proposal, as it went before the Agricultural Policy Advisory Commission. If you care about this topic, here’s a “heads up.” Now is the time to get engaged!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Agenda Item #23, March 17, 2015 – Agricultural Fencing
• Proposed New Zoning Regulations Related to Agriculture

The idea that local folks should be urging President Obama to establish a National Monument on the Coast Dairies land on the Santa Cruz County North Coast is not without controversy. At least, that is the impression I get from emails I have received from KUSP listeners. If you would like to learn more, and get involved, I invite you to review the website for what is being called the “Santa Cruz Redwoods National Monument Campaign.” I have a link in today’s Land Use Report blog, at kusp.org/landuse. I also have a link to H.R. 908, a bill introduced into the United States House of Representatives by Congress Member Anna Eshoo, who represents the North Coast in the Congress. Her bill is called the “California Coastal National Monument Santa Cruz Redwoods Expansion Act.” Again, check today’s blog posting.

Establishing a National Monument would not add much by way of “protecting” the resources located on the Coast Dairies land. Those resources are already pretty well protected. Without doubt, however, establishing a National Monument would put our North Coast “on the map,” and thus promote the area on a nationwide basis. The local impacts of such a designation could be significant, which is one good reason that those promoting the Monument campaign might well consider a meeting or two on the North Coast itself, to get those most affected involved in the process.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Annual Meeting Of The Carmel Valley Association
• H.R. 908 - California Coastal National Monument Santa Cruz Redwoods Expansion Act
• Website For Santa Cruz Redwoods National Monument Campaign