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KUSP LandWatch
News
Week of May 12, 2003 to May 16, 2003
"Listen Live"
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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 May 12, 2003 to May 16, 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,
May 12, 2003 – Meetings, And More Meetings
This morning, let me announce three meetings, two today and one
tomorrow, which might be of interest. This afternoon, from 4:00
to 6:00 p.m., there will be a meeting about the Pajaro River Flood
Protection Plan. This Plan, when adopted and implemented, will have
a truly determinative effect on the future of that small community.
The meeting will be held at the Pajaro Middle School, 250 Salinas
Road, in Pajaro.
Starting at 6:00 p.m. this afternoon, the City of Greenfield Planning Commission will be reviewing a proposed amendment to the City’s Redevelopment Plan, which would expand urban growth into agricultural areas surrounding the city. Check the City of Greenfield website, to get a great aerial view of the city, and then think, less ag land, more development. That’s the topic of the meeting tonight.
Tomorrow afternoon, the City of Pacific Grove will be holding a Planning Commissioner’s Retreat, from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m., at the Pacific Grove Community Center. That’s at 515 Junipero Avenue in Pacific Grove. In essence, this "retreat" will be an educational event for the public, as well as for Planning Commissioners. A lot of details about how land use decisions are made in Pacific Grove will be the topic.
If your radio itinerary makes you a regular listener, you know there’s more information on the KUSP website. Click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Greenfield Website
http://www.greenfield-ca.com/Action Pajaro Valley
http://www.actionpajarovalley.org/City of Pacific Grove
http://www2.ci.pacific-grove.ca.us/index1.html
Tuesday,
May 13, 2003 – The City of Marina: A Motion On The Floor
When I last mentioned the City of Marina (exactly one week ago,
as a matter of fact), I announced that the Marina City Council would
be holding an important public hearing on the proposed Housing Element.
The Housing Element is a required part of the local General Plan,
and it specifies how the community’s housing needs are expected
to be met.
Last Tuesday, the Marina City Council did hold that public hearing, as advertised. Not surprisingly, the Council heard lots of testimony in support of a strong commitment to affordable housing. The net result was a motion by Marina City Council Member Bruce Delgado. Mr. Delgado’s motion, seconded by Council Member Ken Gray, would strengthen the City’s commitment to affordable housing. The recommendation from the Planning Commission calls for 21% of all new housing to be affordable by persons with average or below average incomes. Developers want to lower that percentage. Mr. Delgado’s motion would set the bar at 37%.
Well, what happened? Amazingly, the clock ran out just as Mr. Delgado made his motion, and the City Council adjourned with that motion on the table. If you happen to live in Marina, and/or if you care about future housing opportunities on the Monterey Peninsula, you can get the answer to the "what happened?" question by attending the Marina City Council Meeting tonight. It’s at 6:30 p.m. at the Marina City Hall.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Marina Website
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/Marina Housing Element Draft
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/digital%20version%20for%20email.doc
Wednesday,
May 14, 2003 – The Monterey County Crop Report
Yesterday, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors received the
2002 Annual Crop Report.
That report shows that agriculture as practiced in Monterey County has the same relationship to agriculture in general as the electronics and computer business as practiced in the Silicon Valley has to business in general. This is the seat of innovation and excellence, world class! Each acre of Monterey County’s agricultural land produces an average of more than $10,000 dollars per year in gross revenues.
That incredibly productive agricultural land, a "green gold mine," is valued at about $20,000 per acre when zoned and used for agriculture. If the land owner can get three votes at the Board of Supervisors to change the agricultural designation, the value of the land increases to $200,000 per acre. Every General Plan or rezoning change brings the landowner a "profit" of $180,000 per acre. That’s why the biggest agricultural landowners in Monterey County often urge "flexibility," to allow them non-farm uses of their agricultural land. At stake in the upcoming General Plan Update is more than $1.8 billion dollars of increased value for agricultural landowners, if the kind of urban expansion that many of them are calling for is actually allowed.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Website
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/ag/Contact information:
Eric Lauritzen, Agricultural Commissioner
Monterey County
1428 Abbott Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Telephone: (831) 759-7325
Email: lauritzene@co.monterey.ca.us
Thursday,
May 15, 2003 – The Seaside Housing Element
Gird your loins, and get prepared! I’m just about to tell you
about another meeting. It’s tonight, and it’s important.
It’s in the City of Seaside. Starting at 7:00 p.m., the Seaside
City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed Seaside
Housing Element. If you’d like to attend and participate, you
should be at the Seaside City Hall, at 440 Harcourt Avenue, at 7:00
o’clock.
A Housing Element is a required part of every community’s local General Plan. The State of California specifies, in general, what every community has to do, but the most important decisions are actually left up to local elected officials.
In the neighboring community of Marina, the draft Housing Element had provisions demanding the construction and permanent protection of affordable housing, to meet the needs of families with average and below average incomes. The draft being considered in Seaside is not that strong. Most notably, there is no commitment in the draft Seaside Housing Element to what is called "inclusionary housing." Inclusionary housing is housing that a developer must include in every new housing development, to make sure that at least some part of that new housing will be affordable. The County government specifies 20%. Marina has been considering 21%. Salinas will be considering a 40% requirement. Seaside is considering 0%.
Tonight, you can tell the Council what you think.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Seaside Website
http://bbs.ci.seaside.ca.us/
Friday,
May 16, 2003 – Growth in San Luis Obispo County
For decades, Santa Cruz County has faced daunting growth pressures
from what used to be called Santa Clara County, and is now most
popularly known as the "Silicon Valley." The Santa Cruz
County growth management system, adopted by the people in June 1978,
was largely "defensive" in nature, attempting to provide
at least some protection from the growth pressures coming out of
its nearest neighbor.
As time has passed, San Benito County, and now even Monterey County, has begun to experience these same induced growth effects. The San Benito County Board of Supervisors recently enacted a comprehensive growth management measure, originally circulated as a citizen initiative. In Monterey County, growth issues are central to the General Plan Update process, now underway.
Further to the South, San Luis Obispo County is also starting to experience increased growth and development pressure. Here, there’s a bit of a twist. A recent study found that the next 100,000 residents of San Luis Obispo County will include a large group of "equity refugee" retirees. This is a statewide movement of people who are likely to demand large-lot, low-density development that will do nothing to solve the county's affordable housing problem. To read a fascinating news story about this San Luis Obispo County phenomenon, click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
California Planning and Development Report
http://www.cp-dr.com/binn/main.tafSan Luis Obispo Growth Choices
http://www.cp-dr.com/binn/main.taf?function=&type=
detail§ion_id=2654SLO’s Next 100,000
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispotribune/
news/special_packages/homefront/
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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