Tomorrow, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors will be holding a meeting at the Grace Church Gymnasium, 1350 Osos Street in San Luis Obispo, starting at 1:00 p.m. San Luis Obispo County listeners might want to make arrangements to attend because the future of land use policy in San Luis Obispo County is the entire agenda for this specially set meeting. If youd like to review the staff report, click on the link found in todays transcript. The staff report is found as Agenda Item A-7, added to the normal agenda for the Board of Supervisors.

The Board has called its meeting tomorrow a "Strategic Growth Readiness Workshop," and the meeting will include representatives from the cities in San Luis Obispo County, as well as representatives of community service districts and water purveyors. In summary, the purpose of the meeting is to have a discussion on how the county and the other agencies in attendance can "collaborate on strategic growth." One of the specific topics for discussion will be how the implementation of Senate Bill 375 may impact future growth. Ill be talking more about SB 375, in some detail, next week.

Some listeners may want to question the implicit assumption that "growth is good," and that "growth readiness" is the most important goal of land use policy. If youd like to be engaged in that critically important conversation about the future of San Luis Obispo County, tomorrow is definitely the day!

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

Agenda, San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
http://slocounty.granicus.com/
AgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=25

Tonight, the Marina City Council is going to hold an important joint meeting with the Airport Commission, the Marina-Abrams B Nonprofit Corporation, the Economic Development Commission, the Planning Commission, the Public Works Commission, and the Recreation and Cultural Services Commission. The meeting is a "study session" focusing on development considerations for the Marina Municipal Airport. On the agenda will be:

• A Caltrans video on General Aviation Airports in California
• An overview of the Marina Municipal Airport
• A general discussion of airport development and land use compatibility
• A background presentation on airport operations
• A history of airport development in Marina; and
• A specific discussion on the following issues affecting compatibility planning: noise, safety, hazards to flight, and overflight

Those who attend the meeting tonight can find out about how land use compatibility issues will affect future development at the Marina Municipal Airport. Theyll learn about Federal Aviation Agency funding and grant assurances, and find out about master plans, and airport layout plans, and about regulatory considerations affecting land use compatibility.

The "conclusion" of the meeting is going to be a discussion of a possible "update" to the Marina General Plan. If you have an interest in how the future will affect economic, environmental, and social equity issues in Marina, this is a meeting you should attend.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

City of Marina Website
http://www.ci.marina.ca.us/

The "official" date for the Presidential election to be held this year throughout the United States is November 4th. In California, as in some other states, the election actually begins earlier, when vote by mail ballots go out. I, for instance, have already voted. If you havent already voted, I hope youll plan to do so. The last day to register to vote is October 20th. Ive put a link in the transcript of todays Land Use Report that will give you more information.

That critically important vote for President isnt the only important vote youll get to cast this year. There are a number of important State Propositions, and some of them are very much related to land use policy. Not the least of these is Proposition 1A, which asks voters to authorize the state to borrow $10 billion dollars to get started on a high speed rail project that will probably end up costing at least five times that much.

In the City of Santa Cruz, another important money-related measure is Measure E. City residents will decide whether or not to impose a new tax on property in the City (without a definite sunset date, incidentally) that will fund city efforts to reduce and prevent water pollution, and to manage stormwater runoff. State and federal water quality regulations require our cities to take effective action to stop the "non-point source" pollution that is so damaging to our marine environment. Santa Cruz City residents, this year, have a chance to do something about that, right in their own community.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

Information on how to register to vote
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

You can get the full text of Measure E by going to the Citys website, and then clicking on the "Additional Information" link in the section relating to Measure E. The Citys website is
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/

"Facts about Measure E" flyer
http://www.google.com/search?q=city+of
+santa+cruz%2C+measure+E&ie=utf-8& oe=utf
-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Yesterday, I mentioned the critically important election to be held on November 4th. The last day you can register to vote in that election is Monday, October 20th.

At the national level, the election this year seems to be about "change," or about "fear of change." Its no secret to regular listeners that I am generally in favor of "changing" whats going on in the realm of land use policy. I may say, however, that my desire for a change in land use policy is motivated by the fearsome "changes" that I see happening all around us, and within our local communities, as powerful forces drive us towards a future that we probably dont want.

Im a bit "fearful" of the changes that seem to be "happening to us," in other words (like global warming, to take a pertinent example), which leads me to think that we have to stop being afraid of making the political changes that will put us more in charge of our own future. Fundamental changes are required if we want to use the power of self-government to construct a future we want, instead of experiencing a future that will simply "happen to us," whether we want it or not.

Santa Cruz City Council candidate David Terrazas recently alerted me to a "transition town" movement that seeks to make entire communities a force for the kind of land use, social equity, and environmental changes that can lead us towards a better future. Theres a link to more information below.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

Information on how to register to vote
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

Transition Towns
http://www.transitiontowns.org/

Last week, the Monterey County Planning Commission voted to deny a proposed subdivision located in the Las Lomas area of North Monterey County. The proposed subdivision is called "Rancho Los Robles," and would convert about 34 acres of farmland, pasture, and woodland into 97 single-family lots and four multi-family townhouse complexes, along with some associated commercial development and open space.

In the past, Monterey County Supervisors have tended to approve rural subdivisions as proposed by project applicants, even in the face of community opposition, and genuine concerns about water supply, traffic, and other impacts. The Planning Commission has tended to reflect this Board policy in the decisions that the Commission has made, so the fact that the Commission voted "no" on the Rancho Los Robles project is undeniably significant. The decision may be a "bellwether," signaling a major shift in Monterey County land use policy.

North Monterey County has major water supply constraints, and local residents, concerned for their own wells, spoke out for denial on that basis. Water supply concerns were, obviously, the main issue on the mind of Commissioners, with Commissioner Vandevere saying, "theres a very severe water problem in that area, and all the water solutions we thought might resolve that problem seem to have fallen through."

Again, the final word is going to be with the Board, not the Commission. Ill keep you posted.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

Information on how to register to vote
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

Monterey Herald story on Planning Commission action on Rancho Los Robles
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/
ci_10676195?nclick_check=1