Every California county has one, and residents of the Monterey Bay Region have two chances, this week, to see one in action. Let’s think of this like a question on Jeopardy. The answer I am looking for is “What is LAFCO?”

LAFCO is the “Local Agency Formation Commission.” New local agencies, before they are “formed,” must go through a review and approval process at LAFCO. When existing local agencies want to expand their territory, or to dissolve, or to merge, LAFCO is again involved. If a local agency that provides water or sewer service wants to extend its services beyond the boundaries previously existing (and that were probably approved by LAFCO), the agency must come to LAFCO and get LAFCO approval. Although there are some special cases throughout the state, where the rule is different, generally speaking each LAFCO has a membership of seven persons: two County Supervisors, two City Council Members, two representatives of Special Districts in the county, and one public member.

The Monterey County LAFCO meets today at 4:00 p.m. The Santa Cruz County LAFCO meets on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. I have links to their agendas at kusp.org/landuse. Both LAFCOs will be considering their work programs and budgets for the year ahead. Take in one of these meetings and learn more about LAFCO!

More Information

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Santa Cruz County LAFCO Agenda – Meeting of April 1, 2015
• Monterey County LAFCO Agenda – Meeting of March 30 2015
• CALAFCO Website

This Land Use Report attempts to push and prod listeners towards a more informed and active participation in land use matters. Land use does matter, and if we think that self-government is a good idea (and that has been our traditional thought, here in the United States of America) we know that we can’t have genuine self-government unless we are willing to get involved ourselves.

Ideally, information precedes action. These weekday Land Use Reports are a good way to get some information about land use issues affecting the Monterey Bay Region. You can also check out the “Land Use Links” that KUSP makes available. The Land Use Report Blog has a link to the “Links,” and you can send your browser to kusp.org/landuse to get access to this list of important websites.

Of course, you can also watch the television news, and read the newspapers, and follow the various other media that bring us information. In a recent edition of the Monterey Bay Partisan, a web-based media advisory, I learned that the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the much-debated Monterey Downs development is supposed to be released today.

The City of Seaside is the “lead agency.” The release of the Draft EIR means it’s your turn!

The City is legally required to respond to your comments, so review that Draft EIR, and make some! That’s a real way to get involved!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Monterey Bay Partisan Article on Monterey Downs EIR
• Sign Up For Email Alerts From The Monterey Bay Partisan
• Monterey Downs Project on the Seaside Website
• City of Seaside Website

Every once in a while I am able to provide what might be called “adequate notice” about an upcoming meeting. Often, I find myself having to advertise a meeting on the morning of the very day that it’s taking place, and while I urge listeners to “get to that meeting,” I do realize that this is perhaps not actually possible for most listeners. Today, I am happy to be able to tell you about a meeting on April 9th, in Salinas. That is more than a week away, so if you were interested in attending the meeting, perhaps you could actually schedule it on your calendar.

The Monterey County Zoning Administrator handles permit matters that are thought to be relatively “minor,” and on Thursday, April 9th, at 9:30 a.m., in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers in Salinas, the Zoning Administrator will consider three such items. First on the list is an application by the Fernwood Resort to hold outdoor live music events in Big Sur. The Zoning Administrator isn’t expecting much discussion, clearly, because at 9:40 a.m. the ZA is scheduled to hear an application for a 63 foot-high cell tower facility, to be located at 383 Natividad Road in Salinas. Not much discussion expected on that one, either, because there is another item scheduled for 9:50 a.m., a cell tower that would be located at 92 McFadden Road in Salinas.

If you care (about any of these items), you should be there!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• LandWatch Monterey County Website
• Monterey County Zoning Administrator Agendas

Desalination is a big issue in the Monterey Bay Region. Because it is, I am hoping that interested persons will consider making comments on a proposal that will soon come before the State Water Resources Control Board. On Tuesday, May 5th, the State Board will hold a Public Meeting in Sacramento, starting at 9:00 a.m., on a Proposed Final Amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters of California, addressing desalination facility intakes and brine discharges to the marine environment. Marine resources are the focus here, but the possible construction of desalination facilities has profound land use related impacts, too.

One proposed change to the current regulations, for instance, seems to relate to the issue of the growth inducing impacts of desalination plants. Desal proposals are often scaled to provide water for new land development proposals. As I read the proposed new language, the Ocean Plan would not allow any exception to the general requirement for subsurface intakes, as opposed to open water intakes, based on the claim that subsurface intakes won’t produce enough water for such growth-inducing developments.

If you want to comment on the proposal that will be considered by the State Water Resources Control Board on May 5th, the deadline for comments is noon on Thursday, April 9th.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Website Information On Desalination Facilities And Brine Disposal
• Specific Changes Proposed
• State Water Board Fact Sheet
• For More Information Contact: Jeanine Townsend (916) 341-5600

Here is another “heads up” advisory that actually gives you time to put something on your calendar. On Saturday, April 11th, a week from tomorrow, an all day symposium, focused on the “State of the San Lorenzo River,” is going to take place at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, located at 307 Church Street in Santa Cruz. It’s an all day affair, from 9:00 to 5:00, so bring a bag lunch!

John Laird will give the keynote speech. Mr. Laird is a former Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, a former Assembly Member representing most of Santa Cruz County and parts of Monterey County in the State Legislature, and is currently serving as the Secretary for Natural Resources of the State of California. Besides that keynote speech, the day will be filled with presentations and discussion about the San Lorenzo River watershed, with a particular emphasis on fisheries and water quality. Presenters will include consulting biologist Don Alley, Greg Pepping of the Coastal Watershed Council, Anthony Guerriero from the United States Geological Survey, Jon Jankovitz, from the California State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Dr. Brian Spence from NMFS, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Dr. Jerry Smith from San Jose State University.

The Symposium is being hosted by the City of Santa Cruz, the County of Santa Cruz Fish and Game Advisory Commission, and the Coastal Watershed Council. I hope you will plan to attend!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• State of The San Lorenzo Meeting Notice
• Facebook Notification – State of the San Lorenzo Symposium