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KUSP LandWatch News Week of August 5-9, 2002
"Listen Live"
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KUSP LandWatch News Week of August 5-9, 2002 |
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ogo.gif" width="108" height="109" border="0"> "Listen Live" |
KUSP provided a brief Land Use Report on KUSP Radio from January 2003 to May 2016. Archives of past transcripts are available here.
Week of August 5-9, 2002
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP Radio by Gary Patton, Executive Director of LandWatch Monterey County. The opinions expressed by Mr. Patton are not necessarily those of KUSP Radio, nor of any of its sponsors.
Protecting
the Arroyo Seco River (Monday, August 5th)
The Arroyo Seco River, a tributary of the Salinas River, winds ten
miles through a dramatic, deep canyon. Its journey takes it over
waterfalls and through stunning steep walled gorges. In more gentle
terrain, lush riparian habitat lines its banks. This striking river
contains endangered steelhead trout, and the endangered red-legged
frog. It’s truly a treasure worth saving.
There are, however, problems in this paradise. On the lower portions of the river, a sand mining plant has caused significant damage, and Monterey County has permitted an asphalt batch plant to locate right in the middle of the river. Concerned citizens have been working to curtail or eliminate the sand mine and its associated uses. They’ve formed the Arroyo Seco River Alliance, and they’re meeting tomorrow tonight, Tuesday August 6th. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m., at Miller’s Lodge, on Arroyo Seco Road. It’s a trip to get there, but you’re invited.
Congress Member Sam Farr and Senator Barbara Boxer are carrying legislation that would increase protection for the wilderness areas surrounding the Arroyo Seco. The Ventana Wilderness Alliance and The Nature Conservancy are both working to preserve and protect this spectacular environment. To make a comment or suggestion, and for more information, go to the bottom of the main page, at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Contact For Arroyo Seco River Alliance – Peter Garin, petergarin@pacbell.net
Ventana Wilderness Alliance - http://www.ventanawild.org
The Nature Conservancy - http://www.tnccalifornia.org/index.asp
Arroyo Seco River (Headwaters) - http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/html/
headwaters/2001_Spring/page01.html
Wilderness Expansion - http://www.ventanawild.org/projects/wildex/arroyose.html
Monrey
County General Plan Amendment (Tuesday, August 6th)
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is on vacation until August
27th. That doesn’t mean, though, that nothing is happening
where land use policy is concerned. In fact, Monterey County is
right in the middle of what can certainly be called an intensive
and fast-paced process, headed in the direction of a comprehensive
amendment of the Monterey County General Plan. Between now and August
27th, the local Land Use Advisory Committees, and the Monterey County
Planning Commission, are going to be reviewing over two hundred
property owner requests to change current land use designations
to allow for increased development. If you’re interested, mark
down August 27th and August 29th on your calendars. On those days,
the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider
final action on these property owner requests.
Among other things, intensive developments are proposed along River Road, and in the Toro Area. Large-scale expansion of the little community of Castroville is also being suggested. The owners of artichoke fields would start putting up subdivisions, if requests like these were approved.
Many people, including business leaders specifically, have criticized the Monterey County Board for “rushing to judgment” on a new General Plan. The Board’s current schedule is to finish by the end of this calendar year, but a lot will depend on what the public says about the next draft. Your comments are definitely in order!
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Monterey County General Plan - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/
Citizens
Advisory Committee for the Pajaro Redevelopment Area Meeting
(Wednesday, August 7th)
Are you looking for a meeting to attend? I think I have a lead for
you. On Thursday evening, that’s tomorrow, August 8th, at 6:00
p.m., the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Pajaro Redevelopment
Area is scheduled to meet at 29-A Bishop Street, in Pajaro. The
topic is future land use planning for the Pajaro area. This is a
meeting that may well be of interest to Santa Cruz County residents,
as well as to residents of Pajaro, located in Monterey County, right
across the river from the City of Watsonville.
Listeners may remember that the Calpine Energy Company is proposing to construct a new energy plant in Pajaro. That’s an important topic for discussion. Flooding problems, and what can be done about them, is also likely to be on the agenda. Santa Cruz County and Monterey County are having a dispute about what approach to take towards flooding problems.
A proposal to put a CALTRAIN station in Pajaro may also be a focus of discussion tomorrow night. The Transportation Agency of Monterey County thinks that extending CALTRAIN service to Salinas, through Pajaro, could provide a positive benefit. The Santa Cruz County Transportation Commission, at last report, has been less sure about that. It’s possible that CALTRAIN service might turn Watsonville and Pajaro into a kind of “commuter suburb” for the Silicon Valley.
The issues are important. Should be a good meeting. Tomorrow night in Pajaro.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Monterey County Redevelopment Agency - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/housing/
Salinas
General Plan Up for "First Check" (Thursday, August
8th)
Where land use policy is concerned, there is no document more important
than the General Plan. Each city and county in California is legally
required to have a local General Plan, to spell out the policies
that will guide future growth and development.
On August 14th, that’s next Wednesday, the Salinas Planning Commission is scheduled to take its "first crack"at the draft of a new General Plan for the City of Salinas. The debate and discussion that is sure to take place about the Salinas General Plan is well worth noting. Monterey County and Salinas residents may want to get involved.
The City’s draft plan proposes the conversion of about 4,000 acres of agricultural land during the next twenty years. Most of the land designated for housing is proposed to be developed at low-density residential standards. This means that most of the housing will not be affordable to local residents, and will serve the “market demand” coming out of the Silicon Valley.
How best to meet the needs of the local community, when confronting the very significant pressures that come from the Silicon Valley, is really the “big question” for Salinas, as it adopts a new General Plan It’s the same big question that confronts virtually every community located in Monterey and Santa Cruz County. It’s not just an environmental question, either. The future of the local economy, and social equity concerns, will be directly impacted by the choices our local communities make.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Salinas Draft General Plan - http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/CommDev/
GenPlan/GPDraft.html
LandWatch Comments - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
salinasgp/073102salinascom.html
Monterey
County Development Moratorium Ends Today (Friday, August 9th)
Today, August 9th, the current “moratorium” on development
in North Monterey County is ending. About eighteen months ago, the
Monterey County Board of Supervisors decided to suspend new development
in North Monterey County, because of the lack of sustainable water
supplies. New development applications were simply not accepted.
Applications that were “in the pipeline” could proceed,
and a number of them did, and were approved.
North Monterey County is suffering from what many believe is a 200% overdraft of the groundwater aquifers serving the area. Current residents have been seeing the water levels drop in the wells serving them, and some have actually had their wells go dry. A “moratorium” is an official suspension of new development approvals, and this seemed like a reasonable approach to the Board of Supervisors when the moratorium was imposed, although the imposition of this moratorium was very controversial. While most local residents were strongly in favor, those wanting to develop their properties were not.
The thing about a “moratorium,” legally, is that it is temporary. Time has run out for the North County moratorium, and this may mean a whole host of new development applications. The draft Monterey County General Plan Update, not yet adopted, would impose strong, permanent protections for North County residents. For those who care about the long-term health of the aquifers, such a permanent policy can’t come too soon.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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