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Week of November 8, 2004 to November 12, 2004 |
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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 November 8, 2004 to November 12, 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, November 8, 2004 – Gonzales General Plan Update |
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The General Plan policies adopted by a local community are the single most important determinant of the community’s future. This is because the General Plan is the community’s “Constitution” for land use (as the courts have so appropriately put it) and because land use decisions so profoundly affect issues of social equity, the economy, and the environment. Unfortunately, most of us get involved in land use issues (when we get involved at all) only at the “project” level. This is when the public notices go out. A local government that is considering whether to allow a new subdivision to be constructed on a piece of agricultural land, or whether to allow a new mixed-use development in an urban neighborhood, must post and publish a notice first, and hold a public hearing. That’s when the public is officially invited to comment and get involved. The decisions made on a proposed development project, however, will have to be consistent with the local General Plan. In other words, if the General Plan says “yes” to the conversion of ag land, or “yes” to the construction of the mixed-use development, then it’s extremely likely that the project will be approved. The lesson is obvious, if you’d like to have the maximum impact on the future of your community, you should get involved in developing the local General Plan. Tonight, in the City of Gonzales, starting at 6:00 p.m., the Gonzales Planning Commission will be considering the revision of the City’s General Plan. If you’re from Gonzales, I hope you’ll drop in! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Tuesday, November 9, 2004 – The GPU Report at the Board of Supervisors |
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As I noted yesterday, the local General Plan is the most important single determinant of a community’s future. The contentious nature of the General Plan Update being carried out in Monterey County really reflects that truth. Monterey County is at a critical crossroads, and the decisions made in the General Plan Update process will steer the County one way or the other. There is a good reason for the controversy and debate, because the stakes are high. I recently read a book called “Water in California,” by S.T. Harding, a water expert who did most of his work during the first half of the 20th Century. What struck me most was the frontspiece to the book, with two aerial photos of farm fields in Covina, California. Or, rather, the first picture showed farm fields. The second, taken nineteen years later, showed the same area, but now transformed into highways and subdivisions. The time period between the two photos made the most powerful statement to me. Not only was the area transformed from an agricultural valley to a series of subdivisions (if you’ve lived in California you know about that phenomenon), it all happened in less than twenty years! Twenty years is the “time horizon” most commonly used in a local General Plan. Will the Salinas Valley be transformed from agricultural lands to subdivisions? The policies adopted in the next General Plan will decide that. Today, at 10:30, the Board of Supervisors will get a report on its General Plan Update process. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Wednesday, November 10, 2004 – Arts Habitat and East Garrison |
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The proposed East Garrison Project is set to transform one of the far-flung corners of the former Fort Ord into a major residential development. 5,100 oak trees would be chopped down to facilitate a new residential subdivision. Traffic and other impacts would be significant. A special public hearing on East Garrison has been calendared before the Monterey County Planning Commission on Wednesday, November 17th, starting at 10:30 a.m. Click on the Land Use Report link at www.kusp.org to get additional information. One of the most intriguing aspects of the East Garrison proposal is the plan to incorporate an “arts habitat” into the center of the development. The idea is to build live-work spaces specifically designed for artists, and to include gallery, and studio, and even performing arts spaces as a significant feature. The “arts habitat” portion of the proposed East Garrison project would be constructed in Phase III of a threephase project, but if the effort does go forward as planned, the development would truly be something new and unusual. Arts Habitat is a nonprofit organization working with the developer, and they’d like Monterey County artists to take part in a survey that will help them with their planning. If you’re a Monterey County artist, check the KUSP website for a link to the survey. If you’re just a Monterey County resident, you might want to participate in the upcoming public hearings. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Thursday, November 11, 2004 – Coastal Documentary |
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Tomorrow night, if you’re not listening to KUSP (and that’s always a good thing to do on a Friday night!) you might want to check out a documentary film, scheduled to air on KQED Public Television. The documentary is entitled, “Coastal Clash,” and will air at 9:00 o’clock. It poses the fundamental question: “Whose coast is it, anyway?” “Coastal Clash” travels the entire California coastline, and introduces representatives from all sides. Environmental experts, coastal scientists, government representatives, community leaders and property rights advocates illuminate the tension between public and private coastal interests. The Coastal Commission, UCSC Santa Cruz, and others teamed with KQED to produce the film. Another way to see this new documentary would be to attend a local event, to be held tomorrow evening at the UCSC Seymour Marine Discovery Center, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This local event will include a screening of “Coastal Clash,” followed by a panel discussion that will address how beaches work, shoreline erosion processes, the impacts of seawalls, coastal policy, conservation, and property rights. Listeners who regularly enjoy KUSP’s Life on the Bay, or followers of this Land Use Report, will all have something to learn from the panelists speaking at the Seymour Center. Check the KUSP website for more information. You do have to RSVP to attend the Seymour Center event. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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| Friday, November 12, 2004 – GIS Day |
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On November 19th, the Central Coast Joint Data Committee will present “GIS Day.” The event this year is being held in celebration of National GIS Day, and this year’s theme is particularly coastal. GIS Day 2004 is entitled “A Marine & Coastal GIS Symposium,” and will take place at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. There may be more than a few of you who don’t know what that acronym, “GIS” means. It turns out that there is an official “National GIS Day,” and yet many citizens and residents don’t really know what “GIS” stands for. It stands for “Geographical Information Systems.” That’s GIS for short. GIS is a powerful, computer-based tool that organizes information with direct and specific relationship to a map. In the land use arena, GIS is used to correlate information about natural habitat types, fire and flood dangers, slopes, and land use designations with a map showing political jurisdiction lines and assessor’s parcel numbers. A great illustration is found on the Santa Cruz County website. Get the reference at www.kusp.org. The results that GIS can produce are often dazzling, and the land use area is only one area in which GIS is proving ever more important. My favorite GIS “Guru,” however, always reminds me of this: all those beautiful maps and pictures aren’t any better than the data they illuminate. You still need accurate facts. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
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Archives of past transcripts are available here
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CONTACT 306 Capitol Street #101 PO Box 1876 Phone (831) 759-2824 Fax (831) 759-2825 |
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