The Land Use Report

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Friday, February 3, 2012

Next Tuesday, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to make a decision on the shopping center project proposed for property at the intersection of Highway 68 and Corral de Tierra.  I have spoken about this project a number of times before, since it really is a significant one. The item has been rescheduled numerous times, but next Tuesday may be the final showdown before the Board of Supervisors. If you care about Highway 68, which connects Salinas and Monterey, and provides the most direct link between Salinas and the Carmel Valley, you should plan to attend the Board meeting next Tuesday. This mention is a heads up, so you can reserve time on your calendar.

If you would like to study up on the project, to remind yourself what’s at stake, I have put links in the Land Use Report Blog that provides a daily transcript of each one of these weekday Land Use Reports. KUSP has a new website, and it is a much-improved one, from my point of view. If you go to www.kusp.org, and click on the Archives/Podcasts link at the top of the page, you will find links to all sorts of podcasts and blogs that will give you even better access than ever to the superlative program offerings of KUSP. You can get podcasts of this weekday show, and can even subscribe, so you get both the audio and written version in your email each weekday.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Information on the Corral de Tierra Shopping Center Proposal

LandWatch Monterey County on the Proposed Corral de Tierra Shopping Center

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Wall Street Journal

As listeners know, I am working as an environmental attorney, and I have made a commitment to KUSP management, and to those listening to the Land Use Report, that I will let listeners know if I comment on an issue with which the Wittwer & Parkin law firm is involved on behalf of a client. Today, I wanted to alert you to something I read about in the AMBAG Clearinghouse Review, but let me give you my disclaimer first. For several years, I have been working on high-speed rail issues, representing a community group based on the San Francisco Peninsula. Fairly recently, I have also begun working for a group of farmers from Kings County. Both of these groups are opposing the state’s high-speed rail project as it is currently configured

That said, let me alert you to a public comment opportunity spotlighted by the most recent edition of the Clearinghouse Review. The California High-Speed Rail Authority has published a Partially Revised Draft Program EIR for the project they are advocating; that Draft EIR is focused specifically on the portion of the system that would run from the Central Valley to the San Francisco Bay Area. Two basic alternatives are considered. One comes over the Pacheco Pass. The other comes over the Altamont Pass. Monterey Bay Region residents do have a stake in the outcome. If you would like to find out more, and comment, you can get more information in today’s edition of the Land Use Report Blog.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

HSR Draft EIR Information

High-Speed Rail Authority Website

AMBAG Clearinghouse Review

Community Coalition on High-Speed Rail

Citizens For California High-Speed Rail Accountability

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission produces a Transportation Café television show on Santa Cruz County Community Television. The purpose of the program is to focus public attention on important transportation issues, and specifically on issues of particular interest to Santa Cruz County and the surrounding region. The show now airs every other month. The most recent show highlights the inclusion of sustainability principals in the area’s long range Regional Transportation Plan. A major focus of the show is the Sustainable Transportation Analysis and Rating System, or STARS, which makes “sustainability” a major focus for transportation planning. The idea is to achieve what is being called a “triple win,” a plan with advantages for people, the environment, and the economy. Over the next few months, the Transportation Commission will provide opportunities for members of the public to participate through an online survey, and through direct testimony to decision makers at public hearings.

The show discusses recent decisions allocating about $10 million dollars for highway, sidewalk, road and bicycle improvement projects over the next five years. As I reported last Thursday, the Commission also gave the go ahead for a $22 million highway-widening project on Highway One. You can get more information in the KUSP Land Use Report Blog.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

YouTube Video – Transportation Café

Transportation Commission Website

Community Television Website

2012 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP)

Highway Headaches, LUR Blog For Thursday, January 26, 2012

Schedule For Show On Community Television:

Tuesday    01/31/12        6:30 PM       Channel 26

Thursday    02/02/12        6:30 PM       Channel 25

Thursday    02/02/12       11:30 PM       Channel 25

Friday      02/03/12        6:00 PM       Channel 25

Saturday     02/04/12       10:00 PM       Channel 25

Sunday    02/05/12        5:30 PM       Channel 25

Sunday    02/05/12        6:30 PM       Channel 26

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I never get tired of telling listeners that the local General Plan is your community’s most important land use policy document. The courts have called the local General Plan the community’s “constitution for land use.” State law requires each city and county in California to develop a comprehensive and internally consistent General Plan, covering seven specific topics: housing, land use, open space, conservation, circulation, noise, and safety. Cities and counties can add other elements, should they wish. The power of the General Plan is this: once the governing body has adopted these General Plan policies, every local land use and public works decision made by that city or county must be “consistent” with the General Plan. To the extent that the General Plan articulates specific standards that should govern the future growth and development of the community, a City Council or Board of Supervisors must follow those standards. If you care about the future of your community, getting the right sort of General Plan policies in place is a major first step!

The Clearinghouse Review published by the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (or AMBAG) reminds us that the public review period for the proposed new Watsonville General Plan EIR will end on February 21^st. Those concerned about the future of Watsonville should get involved now.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Land Use And The General Plan

The State’s General Plan Guidelines Website

City of Watsonville – Current General Plan

City of Watsonville – Proposed New General Plan Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Monday, January 30, 2012

Asilomar Conference Grounds

The 32^nd Annual EcoFarm Conference is taking place this week at Asilomar. The conference begins on February 1^st, and runs through February 4^th.

Sponsored by the Ecological Farming Association, EcoFarm is the oldest and largest ecological agricultural gathering in the West. It meets each year, at Asilomar, with the objective of helping to create, maintain, and promote healthy, safe, and just food farming systems. There are usually over 1,500 persons in attendance, and the conference program provides opportunities for networking, discovering the newest ecological agricultural techniques, and building skills for those committed to ecological farming.

This year, there are over 60 workshops with a comprehensive array of technical sessions for farmers, ranchers, activists, students, and educators. The food’s pretty good, too! The conference always features the best organic produce around, with the menus this year created by Angela Karegeannes of A Fork Full of Earth Organic Catering. Evening events include tastings, mixers, and live entertainment. Maybe even a showing of The Last Crop, a film that provides a vision for an agricultural future that is truly sustainable.

You can get more information from the Land Use Report Blog on the KUSP website.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Ecological Farming Association Website

EcoFarm Conference Website

A Fork Full Of Earth Organic Catering

The Last Crop, Trailer

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Friday, January 27, 2012

AgKnowledge Class of 2010 - Grower Shipper Foundation

The Grower-Shipper Foundation is currently accepting applications for its AgKnowledge program, which the Foundation describes as an “executive agricultural leadership program.” There is a link to the application packet in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report. If you’d like to learn more about agriculture in Monterey County, please check out this program. The deadline for applications is February 2^nd, so you need to act fairly promptly.

The mission of the AgKnowledge Program is to promote and educate about the health, social and cultural benefits of agriculture to the community and society as a whole. AgKnowledge is co-sponsored by Monterey County. The AgKnowledge program is based on a nine-month schedule of what amounts to an all-day meeting once per month. This year’s program will begin on Friday, March 30^th. The program this year will end with a graduation celebration on Friday, November 9^th.

During the nine month program, you will have a “day with a farmer,” and seminars that will take you through the diverse geography of Monterey County with farm tours and “hands on” experiences covering topics such as; diversity of crops, field and food safety, marketing, technology, politics, regulations, labor, immigration, cultural diversity, and a history of the industry and some of the families that make up Monterey County agriculture. It’s an impressive program. Check it out on the KUSP website.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Grower-Shipper Association Website

Application for 2012 AgKnowledge Program

For more information contact Darlene Din – darlene@growershipper.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Photo Credit: Ventana Chapter, Sierra Club

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has decided to widen Highway One between Morrissey Boulevard and Soquel Drive. Those who regularly use this portion of Highway One will recognize the area as the location of a consistent “bottleneck.” Starting in the early afternoon most days, traffic seems to be flowing along fine, coming out of the newly-widened roadway past the “Fishhook.” Then, suddenly, it’s bumper to bumper.

The result of the widening project, just about ready to get underway, will be to move that bottleneck down Highway One about a mile. The area on Highway One between Soquel Drive and 41st Avenue will then become the place where the massive “bottleneck” occurs. Moving that bottleneck down the road by a mile will cost us about $22 million dollars, and will ultimately provide no overall transportation advantages, except for those persons who regularly use Highway One between Morrissey and Soquel as a way to get to the Dominican Hospital area. That happens to include me, but even so, I am not personally delighted with the expenditure of $22 million dollars for this purpose, particularly since the highway in this area will shortly become more, rather than less frustrating while construction is underway.

The transcript of today’s Land Use Report has a link to a news article discussing the upcoming construction-related congestion that we can all be expecting.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Santa Cruz Patch Article on Highway One Widening Project

Analysis by Campaign For Sensible Transportation

Ventana Article on Highway Widening Project

Transportation Commission Website Information on Widening Project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

City of Monterey

The City Council of the City of Monterey is having a Special Meeting this afternoon and this evening. City residents might want to attend and participate.

The Council’s afternoon session will be held from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. The Council will be conducting a study session on a proposed Citywide Transportation and Parking Study. The results of this citywide study will ultimately be incorporated into the various advanced planning efforts now underway in the City. These include a Downtown Specific Plan, a North Fremont Specific Plan, a Lighthouse Avenue Specific Plan, and a Waterfront Master Plan. The Council will also use information from the study as it makes amendments to the Circulation Element of the City’s General Plan. The transportation study supports General Plan policies that require future transportation planning to be citywide, comprehensive and multi‑modal (which means that the City will explicitly take car, bike, pedestrian, and transit modes into consideration as it takes future land use actions). This approach is particularly important as the City seeks to achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals.

At 7:00 o’clock, the Council will consider joining a Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority, and will address how best to maintain its affordable housing efforts, now that the City’s Redevelopment Agency has been abolished by state law.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Agenda for the January 25, 2012 Special Meeting of the Monterey City Council

• Citywide Transportation Study Session
• Naming City as Successor Agency to Redevelopment Agency
• Forming A Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

City of Santa Cruz

This morning, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will be receiving a status report on a Climate Action Strategy for Santa Cruz County. This evening, the Santa Cruz City Council will be tackling the same topic. The City is somewhat ahead of the County, however. What’s on the Council agenda is more than a mere “status report.” It’s a full-on workshop session on a Revised Draft Climate Action Plan for the City of Santa Cruz. You are specifically invited to attend and testify. The Council’s evening session begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Santa Cruz City Hall.

The City’s Draft Climate Action Plan outlines actions that the City will take to meet State requirements pertaining to climate change, to achieve the policies identified in the Draft General Plan 2030 update, and to accomplish the greenhouse gas reduction goals set by the City Council. One proposal is that the City Council establish a Municipal Energy Office and a Sustainable Transportation and Land Use Planning Team. I applaud the City’s recognition that land use policy changes are absolutely necessary if we are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A compiled list of all of the actions that are recommended in the Draft Climate Action Plan is included in the Plan as Appendix A. I hope that listeners will track down the draft document and get involved in helping to address the greatest environmental crisis of our times.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors’ Agenda – Climate Action Strategy

City of Santa Cruz Website

January 24, 2012 Agenda, Santa Cruz City Council

Workshop Presentation on Revised DRAFT Climate Action Plan

Transition Santa Cruz Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Monday, January 23, 2012

Photo Credit: cardcow.com

Boards of Supervisors generally meet on Tuesdays. Both the Monterey County and the Santa Cruz County Boards of Supervisors will be meeting tomorrow. The Monterey County Board will be dealing with some very important water-related issues. The Santa Cruz County Board has lots of interesting items. For instance:

• There is a vacancy on the Board of Directors of the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County. If you would like to be considered for appointment, you should contact your Supervisor.

• The Board is going to do a special plan for the Soquel Drive corridor, from 7^th Avenue to Aptos Village. The contract to oversee this project, which gives some details, is Agenda Item #29.

• Senate Bill 654 would give local agencies a bit of breathing room to respond to the recent California Supreme Court decision on redevelopment. That’s discussed in Agenda Item #39.2.

• Agenda Item #41 is a public hearing item. The Board is going to consider extending its current moratorium on the installation of so-called “Smart Meters” in the unincorporated portion of Santa Cruz County. If you care about this issue, you should be at the Board meeting by 9:00 o’clock tomorrow, to make your voice heard.

• Finally, Agenda Item #42 is a status report on the development of a Climate Action Strategy for Santa Cruz County. You can speak on that item, too.

There are links to all these items in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report.

More Information:

Gary Patton’s Blog: Two Worlds

Agendas of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors

Monterey County Herald Article on Water-Related Items

January 24, 2012 Agenda of the Board of Supervisors

Agenda Item #22 – Resource Conservation District Appointment

Agenda Item #29 – Sustainable Communities and Transit Corridor Plan

Agenda Item #39.2 – SB 654 on Redevelopment Agencies

Agenda Item #41 – Smart Meter Moratorium

Agenda Item #42 – Climate Action Strategy