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KUSP LandWatch
News
Week of June 14, 2004 to June 18, 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 June 14, 2004 to June 18, 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,
June 14, 2004 – Coyote Valley
The proposed Cisco Systems project was "big news" several
years ago. Cisco Systems proposed a new office complex in the Coyote
Valley in San Jose, creating 22,000 new jobs. Exactly "zero"
new homes were going to be provided. Had the project gone forward,
many of the new job holders, seeking a place to live, would have
put increasing pressure on the housing supplies of adjacent jurisdictions.
This would have had the effect of raising housing prices in areas
already suffering from a lack of affordable housing.
The Cisco Systems project also posed what might be called an "opportunity cost" problem. Coyote Valley, where the project was going to be located, is an almost untouched agricultural and natural area, admittedly located within the city limits of the City of San Jose. The question was, should the last significant open space within the City of San Jose be turned into new urban development, or would redevelopment and infill within areas where urban development already exists be better?
Last Saturday, a whole new Specific Plan for the Coyote Valley was discussed in a workshop held in San Jose. The jobs-housing balance issue is being addressed, but the plan is still to turn the almost-pristine Coyote Valley into a dense urban area. If you’re interested in how to participate, click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Greenbelt Alliance is working on the proposed Coyote Valley Specific Plan. To get involved in the planning effort, visit the Greenbelt website and/or contact Greenbelt Alliance’s South Bay Program Coordinator, Kyle Simpson.
Greenbelt Alliance Website
http://www.greenbelt.org/index.shtmlGreenbelt Coyote Valley Campaign
http://www.greenbelt.org/regions/southbay/camp_coyotevalley.htmlKyle Simpson: 408-983-0856; Email – ksimpson@greenbelt.org
Tuesday,
June 15, 2004 – Senate Bill 744
Let me begin this morning with an advance invitation to a tour and
presentation scheduled for next Saturday. On Saturday June 19th,
from nine till noon, LandWatch Monterey County and Creekbridge Homes
are holding a kind of "open house" and tour of Creekbridge
Village, a new mixed-use commercial and residential development,
located in Salinas. There’s more information at www.kusp.org.
Today, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will receive a follow up report on Senate Bill 744. The basic idea of this Bill is that if a local government doesn’t approve certain kinds of proposed development projects, the state government could do so, despite local opposition. This would be a fundamental departure from the current situation, in which the state does not get involved in the local permit approval process.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors obviously takes Senate Bill 744 seriously. The Bill would, in effect, allow state government to override local government decisions about any proposed development project, if the development includes as little as 5% affordable housing. Basically, local governments couldn’t say ‘no" to developers, if that minimum affordable housing commitment were made. The Board wanted to know how our local representatives voted. Senator Bruce McPherson voted "yes," to deprive local governments of their planning authority. Senator Byron Sher voted "no."
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
LandWatch
– Creekbridge Tour and Presentation
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/calendar.htm
To RSVP or for more information, contact Lupe Garcia at 831-759-2824, Ext. 13;
Legislative
Information
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov
Santa
Cruz County Board of Supervisors Agenda Item
http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/Govstream/BDSvData/
non_legacy/agendas/2004/20040615/PDF/029.pdf
Wednesday,
June 16, 2004 – Wireless Telecommunications Facilities
The powers used by local government to regulate the use of land
are "plenary." That means that they are extensive and
expansive. They are not "limited," really, as long as
the regulatory decisions of the local government are directly and
logically linked to the attainment of the public health, safety,
and welfare, and as long as the regulatory decision doesn’t
deprive a private property owner of any profitable use of his or
her property. That’s the basic rule.
One good reason to become involved in land use policy decisions is that land use policy does allow a creative community response to community problems, as perceived by the community. Since land use regulations can expand to address whatever the community thinks is important, there’s a real "payoff" from involvement. We can actually change things, and achieve objectives we care about, by using local land use powers to get to where we want to go, as a community. This is, of course, a "community" decision making process, so all the inherent difficulties of herding the cats of democratic self-government into a positive direction are absolutely part of the package.
This is all by way of preface to saying that the regulation of wireless communications facilities is now a topic for discussion in the City of Santa Cruz. If that’s an issue you care about, show up at the City Planning Commission meeting this evening, starting at 7:00 p.m. Check the KUSP website for more information.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
City of Santa Cruz Website
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/The Planning Commission agenda can be found by clicking on the "City Government" link, and then clicking on "Advisory Bodies" under the "City Council" section. You can use the "search" function to find materials relating to "wireless communications" within the City of Santa Cruz.
Thursday,
June 17, 2004 – AG Opinions – "Fair Share"
The Attorney General, or AG, is the state’s attorney, and the
AG acts, for the state and its various agencies, in the dual capacities
in which attorneys are frequently employed. When there is a legal
dispute, the AG goes to court (if necessary) and represents state
agencies. If the Coastal Commission, as an example, makes a decision,
and someone doesn’t like that decision, and sues the Commission,
the AG will probably be the attorney representing the Commission.
If the Commission wants to initiate a suit on its own, say to stop
proposed oil drilling off the coast, the AG will probably file the
suit.
But getting involved in lawsuits is only one of the things that lawyers typically do. Lawyers also give "advice." That’s why you often hear them called "counselors." The AG also gives advice to state agencies, and will specifically provide "Opinions" about legal matters, upon requests received from members of the State Legislature. But since the AG is a "public" attorney, his Opinions are made available to the public. They are given a lot of respect by the courts, and if you get involved in land use issues, you’ll want to find out how to research those Opinions. You can also actually influence "pending" Opinions, by providing comments on a topic, before the AG makes up his mind. For more information, click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Attorney General Website
http://caag.state.ca.us/Opinions of the Attorney General
http://caag.state.ca.us/opinions/index.htmPending Opinions, June 2004
http://caag.state.ca.us/opinions/published/04may.htm
Friday,
June 18, 2004 – The Creekbridge Village Tour
Tomorrow, you are most cordially invited to participate in a tour
and presentation sponsored by LandWatch Monterey County and Creekbridge
Homes. The purpose of the tour and presentation is to highlight
how using principles of "Traditional Neighborhood Design"
can result in better land use patterns and better development projects.
A couple of years ago, the City of Salinas updated its General Plan, and LandWatch, as an organization focused on land use policy, vigorously participated. As a major developer in Salinas, Creekbridge Homes did the same. Through the process, it became clear that Creekbridge and LandWatch actually had some significant ideas in common. They both endorsed a specific set of Traditional Neighborhood Design principles, and urged the Salinas City Council to include them in the General Plan rewrite. The City Council did that, so all of the future expansion and development of Salinas will now take place according to these principles. The result should be more a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented city, and a city that is much more efficient in its use of land.
To find out more about Traditional Neighborhood Design, join the tour tomorrow. Creekbridge Village, a recently-completed mixed use development in Salinas, gives a local example of how using these principles can help avoid the pitfalls of the typical single family subdivision, often known as "suburban sprawl."
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
LandWatch – Creekbridge Tour and Presentation - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/calendar.htm
To RSVP or for more information, contact Lupe Garcia at 831-759-2824, Ext. 13;
A "Community Plan" for Salinas
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
salinasgp/081602salinasplan.html#densityCreekbridge-LandWatch Letter on TND
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
salinasgp/071702creekbridge.htmLandWatch Statement on TND
http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
development/100202gaparticle.htmlDesign Principles For Neighborhoods and Towns
http://www.tndhomes.com/phd01.htmlPreserveNet Website on TND
http://www.preservenet.com/politics/NewUrb.html
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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