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KUSP LandWatch
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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 September 9, 2002 to September 13, 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.
Monday,
September 9 –Growth in Hollister
The “geopolitical realities” in this region are that the
Silicon Valley is “spinning off” the housing demand generated
by new job growth, and adjacent jurisdictions are being called upon
to provide the needed housing. Generally, only one new house is
built in the Silicon Valley for each seven to nine new jobs created
there.
Exporting the housing demand generated by new job growth is economically beneficial for local governments in the Silicon Valley. It’s bad for local communities in the surrounding counties, however, and these communities tend to “fight back.” Santa Cruz County has an extensive growth management system, intended to apply some community self-defense mechanisms, given the geopolitical realities.
San Benito County is probably “first in line” for the growth pressures generated in the Silicon Valley. How to control and manage residential growth is an important concern in San Benito County. Currently, the City of Hollister is talking about modifying its “Urban Service Area,” intended to prevent urban sprawl.
If you’d like to weigh in on this important decision, you should attend the Special City Council Meeting, scheduled for tonight, September 9th, at 6:30 p.m., at the Hollister City Hall. That’s 375 Fifth Street in Hollister.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website – http://www.landwatch.org
City of Hollister – http://hollister.ca.gov/
San Benito County - http://www.san-benito.ca.us/
Tuesday,
September 10th – The Salinas “Community Plan”
Next week, the Salinas City Council will be holding a public hearing
on its Draft General Plan. The Council will also be considering
a “Community Plan,” prepared by a group of local residents
that have called themselves “Líderes Comunitarios de
Salinas,” or “Community Leaders of Salinas.” This
group is made up of residents of East Salinas, where housing, traffic,
and other conditions are less than optimal. They are asking the
City Council to adopt General Plan Policies they think can help
turn their neighborhoods around. Others say that these policies
might be too dramatic, and could prevent beneficial developments.
The “Community Plan” calls for more inclusionary housing as new areas are annexed to the city. It asks for higher densities, so that more housing affordable to lower income persons will be constructed. And it recommends that local workers and residents should be given the “first opportunity” to purchase or rent any newly constructed housing.
The “Community Plan” also includes policies to improve neighborhood design, to insure that parks, schools, and libraries are provided, and to make sure that agricultural land is protected. It’s an unusual and creative document, and you can read it for yourself, in either Spanish or English, by looking up the Land Use Report link at the bottom of the main page of the KUSP website. That’s www.kusp.org. You can give me your thoughts, or suggestions, as well.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website – http://www.landwatch.org
Community Plan for Salinas - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/salinasgp/081602salinasplan.html
City of Salinas General Plan - http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/CommDev/GenPlan/GPDraft.html
Wednesday,
September 11th – The Impacts of Wineries
Right now, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control
Board is soliciting comments on proposed “Waste Discharge Requirements
For Wineries.” The comment period ends in a couple of days.
You can find out what is being proposed, and how to make a comment,
by using the Land Use Report link at the bottom of the main page
of the KUSP website.
Wineries and vineyards often raise important land use policy issues. Converting foothill lands to wineries may impact wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. Water supply issues are always involved if non-irrigated lands are converted to irrigated agriculture, though vineyards do tend to use less water than other forms of agriculture. The wastewater discharged from wineries can have negative environmental effects, which is why the Regional Water Quality Control Board has focused in on this issue.
What’s most interesting, though, in terms of land use policy, is the question of “ancillary uses.” Wineries often have tasting rooms, and can turn into tourist destinations, with traffic, noise, and other impacts. It’s important to balance the economic benefits, which can be very significant, with these other, and not so welcome impacts. If you’re interested in this topic, check out the Draft Monterey County General Plan, which proposes a whole new “Wine Corridor” along the western side of the Salinas Valley.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website – http://www.landwatch.org
Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board - http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb3/
Winery Waste Discharge Requirements - http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb3/Permits/Index.htm
Monterey County General Plan Update - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/
The Proposed Winery Corridor Policies Are Found the Land Use Element
of the Draft Monterey County General Plan Update. Choose the Land
Use Section and then locate LU 7-24.
Thursday,
September 12th – Flood Protection Planning
I like to think that some of you actually go to the meetings I announce
on these KUSP Land Use Reports. I realize, however, that I don’t
always give you much advance notice. I do apologize for that.
This afternoon, September 12th, there is a great meeting for you to attend! This is Stakeholder Meeting #7, in a series of meetings to carry out flood protection community planning for the Pajaro River. The meeting will be conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers, and will be held at the Watsonville Senior Center, at 114 East 5th Street, in Watsonville. The meeting starts at 3:30 this afternoon, and will end at 5:30. You can get the background by going to the Land Use Report link at the bottom of the main page at www.kusp.org. A number of different possibilities are being considered, including removing virtually every tree and bush from certain sections of the river.
The flood protection solution ultimately chosen for the Pajaro River will have monumental effects on the future development of Pajaro and Watsonville. If you can’t make the meeting this afternoon, but do want to get involved, let me announce another meeting. This meeting, of the Pajaro River Watershed Council, is scheduled for Friday, September 27th. That meeting will be held at the Kalich Building in downtown Watsonville, at 449 Union Street, and will run from 1:15 to 4:00 p.m. Now, that’s advance notice! I hope you’ll get involved.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website – http://www.landwatch.org
Pajaro River Flood Protection Planning - http://www.pajaroriver.com/index.htm
Friday,
September 13th – Upcoming Marina Planning Issues
In the spirit of giving KUSP listeners as much advance notice as
I can about important upcoming meetings, let me alert you to an
important meeting of the Marina City Council, scheduled for next
Tuesday, September 17th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Marina City Hall.
What will you find out about if you go to this meeting? Well, for one thing, you’ll find out whether or not the City Council decides to establish an Interim Parachute Landing Zone at the Marina Municipal Airport. That may or may not strike you as particularly interesting or important, though as someone who travels around Monterey County quite a bit, I must say that I’m always delighted to see those parachutes gliding down to what I hope are safe landings in Marina.
The real item of importance, however, from a land use policy perspective, is the City Council’s consideration of a proposed option agreement for the so-called “Marina Heights” Development. This would be the first major development, in Marina, on the lands of the former Fort Ord. The “option agreement” has been negotiated in secret by the City Council and a developer, and no member of the public has seen it yet, as far as I know. The whole future of the Fort Ord lands in Marina are potentially at stake. Affordable housing on Fort Ord is most certainty at issue.
So, consider gliding into this meeting yourself. If the public gets involved, maybe there will be a safe landing for Marina.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website – http://www.landwatch.org
City of Marina - http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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