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KUSP LandWatch
News
Week of January 5, 2004 to January 9, 2004
"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 January 5, 2004 to January 9, 2004
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 5, 2004 – LAFCO and the Carmel Valley Incorporation
It is tempting to try to predict what land use policy issues will
be in the news during the year 2004. Water issues will continue
to be of paramount importance; or, at least that’s my prediction.
And maybe the Monterey County Board of Supervisors will take some
definitive action on the long-pondered General Plan Update. Note,
however, that we are into the GPU process for four years and counting,
and we haven’t yet seen the second draft. The Monterey County
Herald has predicted that the Board will defer to the special interests
that fill campaign coffers. They’re not optimistic about an
actual decision on the General Plan Update this year. I may actually
be a little more optimistic than the Herald’s editorial writers.
I can report on an issue that seems certain to progress; namely, the proposed incorporation of Carmel Valley. The proposal to turn Carmel Valley into its own city is not, actually, unrelated to what has happened in the Monterey County General Plan Update process. Many Carmel Valley residents have concluded that they can do a better job on land use issues than the Board of Supervisors.
If you’re interested in the proposed Carmel Valley incorporation, you might want to attend a special meeting of the Local Agency Formation Commission, scheduled for 4:00 p.m. today in Salinas. LAFCO is poised to begin a comprehensive fiscal analysis, which takes the next step towards the incorporation of Carmel Valley.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County LAFCO Website
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/lafco/Agenda for Meeting of January 5, 2004
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/lafco/2004/
010504_SpecMeeting/01052004Agenda.htmCarmel Valley Forum Website
http://www.townofcarmelvalley.org/
Tuesday,
January 6, 2004 – Pismo Beach Talks Policy and Projects
Land use policy issues are of great importance all along the Central
California coast. Lots of things are happening on the land use front
in Monterey County, and land use policy issues are “front and
center” in Santa Cruz County, too. I don’t want you to
forget, however, that the County of San Luis Obispo, and its cities,
are also confronting some extremely important issues.
If you’re a listener from San Luis Obispo County, you might want to get in touch with Environment in the Public Interest, or EPI, a nonprofit based in the City of San Luis Obispo. EPI sends out regular email alerts, to keep interested persons informed about upcoming issues of importance. You can get information on how to contact EPI by clicking on the Land Use link at www.kusp.org.
Tonight, at 6:30, the Pismo Beach City Council will take on a number of interesting land use items, including some “project” items, and the consideration of proposed amendments to the text of the Pismo Beach General Plan. Projects and policies are interrelated. The wording of the General Plan text, as adopted by the City, can either prevent, or promote, specific project decisions. Because the specific policy language contained in the General Plan text is so important, changing that text can often have dramatic consequences on future developments.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Contact EPI through Gordon R. Hensley – grhensley@aol.com
City of Pismo Beach Website
http://www.pismobeach.org/SITE/index/index.htmlPismo Beach City Council Agenda for January 6th
http://www.pismobeach.org/SITE/pdf/council/agendas/010604.pdf
Wednesday,
January 7, 2004 – CHaRG Ahead?
This coming Friday afternoon, at 2:30, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority
Board of Directors will once again consider policies that could
result in the production of more affordable housing on the former
Fort Ord. The economic future of the Monterey Peninsula will largely
be determined by how well local governments (and FORA) confront
the need to provide housing for local workers. So far, as I’m
sure you know, not much is happening. At least, nothing very substantive
is happening. Congress Member Sam Farr, and hundreds of local residents,
including representatives of labor unions and churches, have been
urging FORA to take some definitive policy steps, to insist that
a significant share of the new housing built on the former Fort
Ord will be affordable to persons with average or below average
incomes. Friday is when FORA will take up that policy debate once
more.
In the meantime, a group calling itself the “Community Housing and Resources Group,” or CHaRG, is doing a lot of talking about affordable housing. CHaRG was created by FORA. Tomorrow morning, this group will be making a presentation on a proposed Community Housing Trust, which might be one way to stimulate more affordable housing. The presentation begins at 10:30, and while it’s an invitation-only event, you may be able to talk your way in if you ask. Check the KUSP website for more information.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Contact CHaRG through Laura Baldwin at FORA
laura@fora.org, or at 831-883-3672FORA Website
http://www.fora.org/FORA and affordable housing
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/fortord.htmlTo get involved, contact:
- Alec Arago, District Director for Congress Member Sam Farr - alec.arago@mail.house.gov
- Elizabeth Panetta –
Thursday,
January 8, 2004 – FORA Meets Tomorrow at 2:30
How we use the land determines our future. That’s the basic
lesson presented here each weekday on the Land Use Report. Land
use decisions are decisions made by a local community, almost always
after a long process of analysis and public participation. For the
most part, community land use decisions affect private properties
owned by individuals. The community does have the right to set rules
for the use of private property, so as to advance the greater public
interest.
Decisions about the future of the former Fort Ord are significantly different from the decisions usually made in land use policy proceedings. The lands of the former Fort Ord are not private properties, owned by individuals. These lands are (or shortly will be) lands that are owned in their entirety by local governments, specifically by the cities of Marina, Seaside, Monterey, Del Rey Oaks, and the County of Monterey.
The Fort Ord Reuse Authority (or FORA) has the right to establish rules which these local governments must follow in developing these public lands. Congress Member Sam Farr, LandWatch Monterey County, and hundreds of local residents have been asking FORA to establish a policy that the development of these publicly owned lands should produce very significant affordable housing opportunities for local workers and residents.
Tomorrow, at 2:30p.m., FORA will once again address this issue. I encourage you attend, and to let FORA know what you think.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
FORA Website
http://www.fora.org/FORA and affordable housing
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/fortord.htmlTo get involved, contact:
- Alec Arago, District Director for Congress Member Sam Farr - alec.arago@mail.house.gov
- Elizabeth Panetta –
Friday,
January 9, 2004 – FORA / San Luis Obispo County Items
On Tuesday, I let listeners know that there’s an easy way to
keep abreast of significant land use issues in San Luis Obispo County.
Gordon Hensley, the Executive Director of the nonprofit group Environment
in the Public Interest, will send you a periodic email alert, if
you’ll let him know you’re interested. Since land use
decisions do have such an important impact on our economy, environment,
and social equity, it’s well worth your time to become informed,
and to get involved where appropriate. You can find out how to hook
up with EPI by clicking on the Land Use Report link at the KUSP
website, www.kusp.org. I encourage
you to send me an email, too, to let me have your comments and suggestions.
The latest alert I received from EPI highlights two upcoming meetings: first, a meeting of the California Coastal Commission, scheduled for January 14th. The Commission will be considering Coastal Act protection in the unincorporated part of San Luis Obispo County within the Coastal Zone. On January 16th, the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission will be considering a CALTRANS project just north of the Piedras Blancas lighthouse.
Finally, let me remind you more time of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority meeting this afternoon, at 2:30. Future affordable housing opportunities on the Monterey Peninsula will be profoundly affected by the the actions that the FORA Board takes today.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Contact EPI through Gordon R. Hensley – grhensley@aol.com
California Coastal Commission Website
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/Coastal Commission Agenda, January 14, 2004
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.htmlFORA Website
http://www.fora.org/FORA and affordable housing
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/fortord.htmlTo get involved, contact:
- Alec Arago, District Director for Congress Member Sam Farr - alec.arago@mail.house.gov
- Elizabeth Panetta –
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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