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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 March 3, 2003 to March 7, 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,
March 3, 2003 – Sand City and Scotts Valley Design
Tomorrow, two small cities are tackling important community design
issues. At 7:00 p.m., the City Council of Sand City will hold a
“design workshop,” to discuss streetscape and parking
designs for the part of Sand City that includes its major shopping
area. The population of Sand City is about 250 persons, so it’s
certainly the smallest city on the Central Coast. It may have the
biggest shopping center, however. You can’t miss the shopping
center as you’re heading into Monterey, even if you’re
not quite aware that Sand City is attached to it. Tomorrow night,
one of the questions will probably be whether there’s a way
to route traffic to the City Hall without going through the shopping
center’s parking lot. Professionally assisted community design
sessions tend to be a lot of fun, and you may want to attend this
meeting even if you’re not one of the 250 residents of Sand
City.
Also tomorrow evening, the Scotts Valley City Council will discuss design options for its proposed town center. Scotts Valley grew up in a linear fashion, as strip commercial developments were built. It’s never really had a “town center” per se, which of course is not unusual for small cities that grew to accommodate the automobile. By reusing the former Skypark Airport, Scotts Valley has a real chance to transform itself. You can get more information at the KUSP website, www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Sand City
http://www.sandcity.org/menu/index.htmlCity of Scotts Valley
http://www.scottsvalley.org/Scotts Valley Agenda
http://www.scottsvalley.org/cca.PDF
Tuesday,
March 4, 2003 – Wireless Communications Facilities
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has a well-deserved reputation
for adopting innovative planning policies. That’s generally
applauded, although the County does get a lot of criticism about
its permit processing system. Last week, the Board of Supervisors
worked on permit processing reform. This week, the Board takes up
a more substantive policy discussion, and is charting some new ground.
As you may know, new communications technologies are causing significant planning challenges. What can be done, or ought to be done, about wireless communications facilities has become a major topic for planning professionals. Not to mention for the public, which often has very strongly-held views. Health and aesthetic concerns can end up competing with a public demand for the construction of more cell towers and associated equipment, to facilitate the “I should be able to talk on the telephone and get email anywhere” standard that is becoming a desire, if not an actual need, in our modern society.
Tonight, at 7:30 p.m., the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on a proposed “Wireless Communications Facilities Ordinance.” The Board is showing real leadership, and is taking on the federal government, to some extent, as they do so. It’s a meeting you might want to attend. You can get more information at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Santa Cruz County Government
http://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Board of Supervisors Agenda
http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/
Govstream/archive/ArchiveIndex.asp
Wednesday,
March 5, 2003 – “Farming on the Edge” Conference
Where agricultural land preservation is concerned, Santa Cruz County
has a lot to be proud of. Thanks to Measure J, adopted by the voters
in 1978, Santa Cruz County has the strongest system of agricultural
land preservation in California, and maybe anywhere else. The Santa
Cruz County system is pretty straightforward. Basically, if land
is commercially productive when used for agriculture, it must be
retained in agricultural use. No development and no division of
commercially productive agricultural land is ordinarily permitted.
This is, admittedly, a “tough” standard, but it seems
to have worked well in Santa Cruz County. The result has been the
retention in agricultural production of almost all the land that
was being farmed in 1978. That’s a pretty impressive record,
especially when you look at what has happened elsewhere.
The American Farmland Trust, a group that works to preserve agricultural land, is holding a conference in Pacific Grove next week, from March 10th to March 12th. This is a national gathering of farm and land use experts concerned about ensuring the future of agriculture. The conference is titled, “Farming on The Edge.” If you’d like to attend, visit the KUSP website. Click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org. You can get information on Measure J, too, and maybe those national experts should do that, and take a look at what’s happening on the other side of the Bay.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
To enroll for the “Farming on the Edge” conference contact Doris at 800-370-4879 or dmittasch@farmland.org
More information on the “Farming on the Edge” conference
http://www.farmland.org/conference_2003/index.htmAmerican Farmland Trust
http://www.farmland.org/Text of Measure J
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/publications02/
081802MeasureJtext.pdfThe Story of Measure J
http://www.mclw.org/pages/publications02/
081802MeasureJstory.pdf
Thursday,
March 6, 2003 – Rippling River
No land use issue is more significant than the issue of how to provide
quality, affordable housing for all members of the community. Many
persons simply get left behind in the real estate market, including
the rental market, because they can’t compete successfully
with those who have higher incomes. One of the organizations we’ve
created to provide some help is called the “Housing Authority.”
Housing Authorities exist in many counties throughout California, and the Housing Authorities of both Monterey and Santa Cruz County are very active on behalf of those who need assistance. Housing Authorities mobilize resources from the local, state, and federal level. When they have the resources (and they usually don’t have enough resources), they provide direct housing subsidies to qualifying individuals and families. Housing Authorities may also construct, purchase, and operate housing facilities. When they do that, Housing Authorities become “the landlord.” Sometimes, they run into vexatious landlord-tenant problems.
That’s happening now, in the case of the “Rippling River” housing development for lower income seniors, located in Carmel Valley. The facility, owned by the Housing Authority, has significant safety problems, and needs major work. The residents may have to move, either temporarily or permanently. It’s a difficult situation. Everyone in the Monterey County community has a big stake in reaching a positive resolution, so the Housing Authority can continue to do its essential work, with full public support.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Housing Authority of Monterey County
http://www.hamonterey.org/hacm9.phpHousing Authority of Santa Cruz County
http://www.hacosantacruz.org/
Friday,
March 7, 2003 – Inclusionary Housing Reader
A big part of our housing problem comes from a fundamental characteristic
of our national economic situation. Simply put, the distribution
of wealth and income in our society is such that large numbers of
people (fully employed and hardworking) simply can’t afford
adequate housing.
This is not something that can be “cured” by any action available to a local City Council or Board of Supervisors. Nonetheless, we do look to our local governments to address the problems of the community, and we want them to do whatever they can, even if it’s not their “fault” that the income distribution characteristics of our economy make it virtually impossible for an average income family to purchase (or even rent) adequate housing.
While we shouldn’t forget that it’s the national government that can deal with the real source of the problem (and while we should be demanding that the national government, in fact, do something about it), I am pleased to tell you that there are some things that local governments can do.
One thing local governments can do is to adopt and enforce an aggressive inclusionary housing program, to make new development contribute to a solution to existing housing problems. The Institute for Local Self-Government has just published an exceptionally good book on inclusionary housing, outlining what’s happening throughout California. I’ll talk more about it next week. You can get information at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Institute for Local Self-Government
http://www.ilsg.org/Inclusionary Housing Reader
http://www.ilsg.org/doc.asp?intparentid=6370&strpagetype=doc
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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