The KUSP Land Use Report #43: Land Use Planning and Economic Development

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The following Land Use Report is presented 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 our sponsors.

Land use policies, like those contained in a local General Plan, are intended to make sure that economic development decisions don’t result in unintended and negative impacts.

This is a noble objective. However, business people often say that it costs so much money, and takes so much time, to go through the land use approval process, that land use regulations make it impossible, as a practical matter, to take advantage of good business opportunities. This complaint is definitely being made about the draft Monterey County General Plan Update. The Monterey County Farm Bureau is particularly upset. They believe that the Draft General Plan Update will make it difficult or impossible for Monterey County’s biggest industry to function as it should. Agriculture in Monterey County is a $3 billion dollar business, so that concern needs to be taken seriously!

Is there a way to speed up and provide certainty in the project review process, allowing beneficial economic development projects to proceed, while protecting local communities against the unintended consequences of projects that might seem better than they actually are? The answer has got to be, “yes,” because sound economic development is a high priority for almost every community.

Hear the critiques, and the possible solutions, at a public hearing before the Monterey County Planning Commission, on Wednesday, May 29th. You’re invited!

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

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