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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 January 6, 2003 to January 10, 2003
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,
January 6, 2003 – Marina Heights Hearing Tomorrow
The Marina City Council will meet tomorrow at 6:30 p.m., and will
hear public comment about the proposed Marina Heights Project. Development
on the former Fort Ord is finally getting underway, and this is
the first major residential project in Marina.
Last December, the Marina City Council started up the environmental review process. The Council seems to have assumed that the “project” to be reviewed would be the project described in an Option Agreement between the City and the developer. Normally, that would make sense. In this case, however, the Council promised the public to consider possible changes to the project outlined in the Option Agreement.
The most important topic for discussion is how much, if any, affordable housing should be included. As described in the Option Agreement, the development will require tearing down existing housing, and then constructing about 1,000 units of new housing. None of that new housing is proposed to be affordable to a person with an average or below average income. None of it would necessarily go to Marina residents.
Members of the City Council promised the public that changes could be made to the proposed project. The question for tomorrow’s meeting is whether those changes should be considered now, before the EIR process begins, or considered later. If they’re not considered now, and changes are made later, the EIR process might have to be done over.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Marina -
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/Analysis of Proposed Development -
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/MarHeightsCityPlanComparison.htmLandWatch Letter on Marina Heights Project –
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
marina/010403marinaheights.html
Tuesday,
January 7, 2003 – Carmel Housing Element Hearing
This Thursday, the Carmel City Council will hold a public hearing
on its proposed Housing Element. State law requires every city and
county have an integrated, internally consistent General Plan, addressing
seven mandatory topics: land use, circulation, open space, conservation,
noise, safety, and housing. There are some pretty specific requirements
with respect to what the Housing Element has to do, and because
the General Plan has to be integrated and internally consistent,
all the other parts of the local plan have to reflect the policies
contained in the Housing Element.
If you’re getting the picture here, this is one way that the state government tells local communities how to grow, even though the basic idea is that each locality gets to decide for itself what its General Plan should say. Because the Housing Element represents a kind of state intervention into local planning, it’s often controversial. The state, as you might guess, wants to prevent local communities from taking exclusionary actions to forbid affordable housing within their jurisdiction. When land costs and housing prices are high, as they are in a place like Carmel, this sometimes makes things difficult. Where there’s a will there’s a way, however, and there may be some innovative provisions suggested for the Housing Element in Carmel. If you’re interested, the Council meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 9th, at the Carmel City Hall.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Carmel Website -
http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/Agenda For January 9, 2003 Meeting -
http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/
Wednesday,
January 8, 2003 – The Coastal Commission Decision
KUSP listeners can let me know what they think about this Land Use
Report, and can make suggestions for topics I should cover, by going
to the KUSP website, at www.kusp.org. You can also get a transcript
of these broadcasts, and some references to additional information.
One listener wanted me to highlight the recent decision by an appellate court, holding unconstitutional the composition and operation of the California Coastal Commission. This is a serious matter. Members of the Commission are appointed by the Governor, the President Pro Tem of the State Senate, and by the Speaker of the Assembly. Since the Commission is in the “executive” branch of government, charged with “executing” the provisions of the Coastal Act, the court found that this way of appointing Commissioners violated the so-called “separation of powers” provisions of the constitution.
The constitution requires that the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government be separate. It’s not proper for a legislator to exercise executive powers. And in the case of the Coastal Commission, that’s exactly what’s happening, according to the recent decision. Unless the State Supreme Court reverses that decision, or unless emergency legislation is quickly put in place, to correct the problem, our coast will be open season for federal offshore oil development, and there will be a host of other effects.
If you’d like the state to correct this problem, contact your state representatives.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Coastal Commission Website –
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/Assembly Member John Laird –
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a27/State Senator Bruce McPherson -
http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/15/
Thursday,
January 9, 2003 - CFN Growth Guidance Framework
Growth management is “old news” in Santa Cruz County.
In 1978, Santa Cruz County voters adopted an innovative growth management
system, often called “Measure J.” Measure J requires that
new growth be directed into existing urban areas; that lands that
are commercially productive for agriculture be maintained in agricultural
use; and that at least 15% of all new housing be made affordable
to persons with an average or below average income. Measure J doesn’t
solve every problem, but it has been very effective in preventing
urban sprawl in Santa Cruz County.
The same principles contained in Measure J are now recognized as defining what is called “smart growth.” While growth management is “old news” in Santa Cruz County, other parts of the state are just starting to focus on the issue. The best solution would be a statewide system. The problem with local measures is that they often end up “displacing” growth in a way that actually isn’t very positive. But until there is a statewide system, the best or only recourse for those concerned about the impacts of growth is to act at the local level.
Help may be on the way towards a statewide growth management system. A group called the California Futures Network is now seeking comment on what they call a “California Growth Guidance Framework.” I’ll keep you posted as events unfold. There may actually be some proposed state legislation introduced this year.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
CFN Website -
http://www.calfutures.org/whoweare.html
Friday,
January 10, 2003 – FORA Meeting Today
“What is FORA?” That’s the answer to a Jeopardy question
that asks, “What state-created regional entity oversees land
development on a 28,000-acre former Army base located in Monterey
County?” The Army base, of course, is the former Fort Ord,
and FORA stands for “Fort Ord Reuse Authority.”
The FORA Board of Directors includes representatives from the cities of Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside, Sand City, Marina, and Salinas, plus three Members of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.
FORA has been charged with transferring Fort Ord lands to the various local jurisdictions that have parts of the former Fort Ord within their boundaries. This includes specifically the County of Monterey and the cities of Del Rey Oaks, Seaside, Monterey, and Marina. FORA must also insure that the land use planning efforts of these jurisdictions conform to an overall “Fort Ord Reuse Plan.” Lately, FORA has also promised Congress Member Sam Farr to increase the amount of affordable housing built on the former Fort Ord.
That topic will be on the FORA agenda at its meeting today, in connection with the proposed Marina Heights development project. The FORA meeting starts at 4:00 p.m. at the Conference Room located at 102 13th Street, Building 2925, in Marina. Take the 12th Street exit off Highway One. It’s right there.For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
FORA Website –
http://www.fora.org/City of Marina -
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/Analysis of Proposed Development -
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/MarHeightsCityPlanComparison.htm
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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