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KUSP LandWatch
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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 November 11, 2002 to November 15, 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,
November 11th – Carmel and King City
Two City Councils, meeting tomorrow, will address significant land
use issues. At five o’clock tomorrow afternoon, the Carmel
City Council will hold a special meeting to consider its revised
Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan. At exactly the same time in
King City, the City Council will consider taking a position on the
proposed Prunedale Bypass. It will also consider important actions
relating to a major new subdivision proposed in King City.
If the Carmel Local Coastal Program is ultimately approved by the State Coastal Commission, then many decisions in the City of Carmel, now subject to Coastal Commission review, will not be subject to automatic supervision by the Coastal Commission. Depending on your point of view, this could be either good or bad. In King City, the Council will be deciding whether to support a so-called “bypass” option for Highway 101 improvements in the Prunedale area. If local transportation authorities ultimately decide to support the bypass, there will be very little money available for any other Monterey County road project.
In each case, city governments are dealing with regional and state agencies, and are trying to influence their decisions. The local effects of the ultimate state level decisions will be very significant. You can get more information at the KUSP website. Click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
King City Website - http://www.kingcity.com/index.shtml
Carmel City Website - http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/
Coastal Commission Website - http://www.coastal.ca.gov/web/
Tuesday,
November 12th – Decision Time For Monterey County GPU
Today, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is going to be making
a set of extremely significant decisions about its General Plan
Update. If you’ve been involved in the process, I’d encourage
you to come to the meeting. The meeting is at 10:00 o’clock
this morning, at the County Courthouse in Salinas.
Today, the Board of Supervisors will provide very specific directions on affordable housing; on proposed new road projects; on the boundaries of Community Areas and Rural Centers, and will also say “yes” or “no” to 270 property owner requests to allow development on rural and agricultural lands. In addition, some very significant policy proposals advanced by Supervisor Calcagno, will be debated. These proposals could have a lot of benefits for agriculture, but could also have the effect of stimulating rural sprawl.
The Board’s decisions today will not be final. Final decisions will come early next year. Today, however, the Board will be shaping the future of the county by the decisions it makes. Those decisions will be the basis of the final document. The staff and Planning Commission have recommended a strategy of focusing future growth in a limited number of urban areas. Many, in fact most, of the property owner requests go in the opposite direction. The choices made today will affect Monterey County for the next twenty years. The meeting starts at 10:00 o’clock.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agenda - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/suagenda/Agenda.htm
LandWatch Comments - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
countyplan/082802board.htmlCounty General Plan Website - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/
Wednesday,
November 13th – The Project Review Process
Land use decisions have big effects on local communities. Decisions
at the General Plan level set basic policy. Nothing is more important
than the policies contained in the General Plan, where land use
issues are involved.
In fact, though, most land use decisions are made not at the “policy”
level, but at the “project” level. Project level decisions
should implement General Plan policies, but how well they do that
is really determined by the decisions made on hundreds or even thousands
of project proposals. If you’re serious about land use, you
need to understand the “project” level decision process,
as well as the “policy” level process. In Monterey County,
the General Plan Update process has been in the news. The debates
there are about policy. At the same time, project level decisions
are proceeding.
Tomorrow, I will talk more about the structure of the project level
decision-making process. Today, using Monterey County as an example,
let me say that four different bodies play significant roles: the
Board of Supervisors; the Planning Commission; the Zoning Administrator,
and the Subdivision Committee. The Monterey County Planning Commission
is meeting today, at 9:00 o’clock. The Zoning Administrator
and the Subdivision Committee meet tomorrow. You can get more information
by clicking on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County Planning Department - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/pbi/
Thursday,
November 14th – More On The Project Review Process
County and city governments have broad discretion to set up a land
use decision-making process that they think works best for their
community. In every case, however, the ultimate authority is the
Board of Supervisors or the City Council. They’re elected.
The buck stops there.
Immediately below the Board or City Council, is the local Planning Commission. This is a group of persons appointed by the Board or City Council. The authority of the Planning Commission can be expanded or reduced somewhat, as the City Council or Board chooses, but state law does require that certain proposals go through the Planning Commission. In some cases, in Santa Cruz County for instance, the Planning Commission’s decisions are often final.
Many local governments set up decision-making bodies that consist of staff. In Monterey County, which has a typical system, there is a Zoning Administrator, who is a designated staff person, and a Subdivision Committee, made up of staff people and a member of the Planning Commission. Usually, project level decisions made by these subsidiary bodies may be appealed to the Planning Commission, and then to the Board of Supervisors or City Council. Each local government is a bit different.
Monterey County makes it particularly easy for interested persons to follow this process. If you go to the Planning Department website, you can sign up to receive email notice for each and every meeting of the Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, and Subdivision Committee. It’s a good way to keep informed.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County Planning Department - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/pbi/
Subscription Information - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/pbi/subscribe.htm
Friday,
November 15th – Effects of The Watsonville Urban Limit
On Tuesday, November 5th, Watsonville voters passed Measure U. Measure
U proposes a twenty and twenty-five year urban limit line for the
City of Watsonville. The effects of Measure U may turn out to be
dramatic.
In Santa Cruz County, which is unusual in this respect, commercially productive agricultural land generally can’t be developed or divided. Measure J, adopted by the voters in 1978, establishes this rule.
Most of the productive agricultural land in Santa Cruz County is located adjacent to the City of Watsonville. No development can take place on such agricultural land unless it is annexed to the city. For many years, the City of Watsonville has been trying to annex various agricultural lands, to allow city expansion. But by and large, the city has not been successful. The final decision rests with LAFCO, the Local Agency Formation Commission, and LAFCO has placed a very high priority on preserving agricultural land, and on stopping urban sprawl. Very few annexations have been approved, which means that Measure J’s provisions have been effective.
Measure U essentially proposes a compromise. If LAFCO will allow a limited annexation, the City of Watsonville will firmly bind itself not to ask for more, and to live within the urban limits established by Measure U. This is a creative and constructive proposal! LAFCO will still make the final call.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Watsonville Website - http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/
Action Pajaro Valley - http://www.actionpajarovalley.org/
Urban Limit Line Committee - http://www.actionpajarovalley.org/ballot_main.htm
Text of Measure U - http://www.actionpajarovalley.org/initiative/initiative.html
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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